Whimper
by manga-addict-95
Summary: What happens when Ren comes face-to-face with his super-realistic miniatures? Will he be angry or will he find it hilarious? What is the doll 'Whimper' and why is Kyoko so afraid of it? What is the outcome of this unpredictable revelation? Just a little bit of humor. I had lots of fun writing this, so I hope you enjoy reading it! Reviews always appreciated. Now complete.
1. Chapter 1: The Creepily Realistic Dolls

**What happens when Ren comes face-to-face with his super-realistic miniatures? Will he be angry or will he find it hilarious? What is the doll '****_whimper_****' and why is Kyoko so afraid of it? Just a little bit of humor. I had lots of fun writing this, so I hope you enjoy reading it!**

**Disclaimer: Skip Beat is owned by Yoshiki Nakamura, and I think it is an amazing piece of work.**

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**CHAPTER 1: The Creepily Realistic Dolls**

Ren held out his arms in anticipation of their customary hug as Maria squealed in delight and ran up to him, ecstatic to find her crush sitting in her grandfather's lounge when she returned from school. Scooping her up, Ren listened with an amused smile as she excitedly told him of the spell she used to torture the ignorant teacher who scolded her for not doing her homework.

"The teacher was so terrified she agreed never to give homework again, and if she _dares _break her promise, I'll curse her with my voodoo dolls!" Maria chuckled evilly, relishing the idea, her mind no doubt planning more excruciatingly painful tortures for the unfortunate teacher. The phrase 'voodoo dolls', however, diverted Ren's attention, as he recalled the incident with his beloved Kyoko a few weeks back, when the President had sent her to pick him up on his first day as the short tempered British actor Cain Heel. His mind was still reeling from that conversation.

_Ren could only stare in shock as Kyoko joyfully burst into an in-depth explanation, describing his measurements in minute detail, the proportion of his head to his body, upper body to lower body, shoulder to elbow, elbow to wrist, the angles of his shoulders to his hips, and the muscles and bones that make the entirestructure possible. His carefully constructed Kain Heel persona collapsed in the face of such a startling revelation, and even his Tsuruga Ren mask slipped for a moment._

_Taking deep breaths, he tried to calm down and collect his thoughts. When he finally found his voice, he stammered "When did you take such detailed measurements without me noticing? And why on earth do you need them?"Kyoko paused, aghast, realizing that in her excitement she had blurted out much more than necessary. Falling flat into a dogeza, she burst into tears, apologizing for everything she could think of, sniffling as she explained how voodoo dolls had become her new hobby after Sho's betrayal, how Maria had admired her skills, finally admitting sheepishly that she had made dolls in his likeness as a gift for Maria._

Shaking himself from the flashback, Ren questioned the child in his arms "Mogami-san mentioned that she gifted you some handmade dolls. Would you show them to me?" He put on his most winning smile, and Maria melted like butter, willingly leading Ren and Yashiro up to show them her Ren-sama doll collection. The two grownups shuddered in horror upon entering her darkened room, the acrid smell of sulphur burning their nostrils. The walls were adorned with pentagrams and complicated runes, and the bookshelf was filled with row upon row of musty, leather-bound books containing all types of hexes, curses and ancient tortures. Suspicious potions and black magicartifacts were scattered about. Maria's gigantic automated spider sat in the far corner, along with her latest addition, an even larger remote-controlled toy crocodile capable of crawling, swimming (the toy was waterproof), thrashing tail, growling and biting.

She guided them inside, alerting them to the traps she had set up to punish trespassers. She pointed towards the far wall, and the grownups stopped still, astounded. There, sitting on a small shelf, beside a couple of Ren's photographs and posters, were a dozen or so small Ren look-alikes, dressed in his favorite brand-name outfits, all wearing his trademark gentlemanly smile.

"Aren't they wonderful?" Maria cried, as she directed the stunned Ren and Yashiro towards a pair of punishment chairs, complete with chains to bind the occupant's arms and legs. "Onee-sama is so smart and talented, and she has a real aptitude for the occult!" she gushed, taking the Ren dolls off the shelf and handing them to the flabbergasted actor, all the while listing the benefits of handmade voodoo dolls over mass-produced ones, and the advantages of cloth materials over beeswax. Ren inspected the dolls carefully, turning them over in his hands as he tried to make sense of the absurdity of the situation. The dolls were creepily realistic, not a millimeter out of proportion. Marveling at Kyoko's prowess and the accuracy of her mental Tsuruga scale, he received another shock at Maria'a next words "I love these dolls, they are so much better than the ones Onee-sama has."

"Mogami-san keeps some for herself?" he enquired, pleasantly surprised. '_Interesting',_ he thought. Kyoko had conveniently neglected to mention that she had her own dolls as well. He wondered what it meant. Maybe it was a sign of affection, possessiveness even. Could it be that she wanted a part of him for herself? Ren watched Maria cuddle with the dolls and wondered if Kyoko did the same. Maybe she hugged them, kissed them, cuddled with them, maybe even kept them beside her pillow when she went to bed…..

His hopes plummeted to the floor with Maria's next statement. "Yes, Onee-sama has her own dolls, but none of them have nice faces. She uses them to scold herself when she behaves unprofessionally." Yashiro winced at her blunt statement, watching his charge's face fall. He had also been on cloud nine, mistaking the dolls as a sign of attraction, an indication that she saw him as a man, and hopefully as a love interest. A soft sigh alerted him that the President, who had joined them sometime during the conversation, was similarly disappointed. Today's theme was Ancient Rome, so the President was dressed as Julius Caesar, complete with bronze sword and crown of olive branches.

"This couple is hopeless" he whispered to Yashiro. "Even the Heel Siblings could not make her develop romantic feelings. Ren is simply too reserved. If he continues to restrain himself, he will lose her to someone else. Forced treatment* is the only way to deal with LoveMe number one!" Yashiro had no idea what the President meant by 'forced treatment', but he knew it could be nothing good.

Just then, Lory's aide entered quietly, dressed as a roman scribe, and whispered into Lory's ear. The President immediately cheered up, clapping his hands in delight. "Perfect timing! Bring her up immediately!" The aide nodded and bowed, leaving the room as silently as he had come.

Ren threw him an interrogating glance, but any questions he might have had died in his lips as the aide re-entered, leading in the love of his life, the doll-maker herself, Kyoko Mogami. Completely focused on avoiding the traps and navigating through Maria's room without significant loss of limb (a rather difficult task, as many unfortunate maids had discovered), the petite actress failed to notice the people gathered till she was right beside them. Releasing a sigh on making it across the tomb/prison/dungeon in one piece, she finally took in the situation before her. Maria was chatting excitedly with a very uncomfortable Yashiro-san, while her friend senpai was examining something, his brows furrowed in concentration. Eyes widening in horror, she realized that in his hands was a Ren doll. She looked around. Sure enough, the dolls she had given Maria were scattered about, in plain sight.

She had known, the moment she let slip his measurements, she had a premonition that she would have to show him the dolls one day. In fact, she had been surprised he hadn't asked to see them that very moment. Perhaps he had presumed that she had none with her at that time. After all, he couldn't possibly know that she actually carried a few Ren dolls in her bag all the time, just in case she needed a quick scolding at one of her jobs.

"Ah Kyoko-chan, so nice to see you, we were just discussing your um… handicrafts." Yashiro was unsure what to call them, but he was desperate for a change in topic, as Maria's discourse on sixteenth century witch burnings was detailed and gruesome, and the evil expression on her face was absolutely terrifying. Ren gathered himself, and decided to pursue the topic. "Yes, they are quite….impressive. However, Mogami-san, you failed to mention to me that you had your own dolls of me."

Kyoko gave a shaky laugh. _Dead. She was dead. Hopefully they would give her a nice burial after the Demon Lord was done with her. _"Haha, it completely slipped my mind!" she stuttered awkwardly, trying to act normal and failing miserably, "After all, I have so few dolls compared to Maria-chan…."

This was Maria's cue to jump in. "Yes, Onee-sama gave me so many dolls! She even made new faces for the ugly ones! See, like this!" To the shock of the men, she grabbed a nearby Ren doll, the one dressed in his famous one-of-a-kind white Armani, pulling out the face to reveal another face below it. The audience was flabbergasted, even the LME President, who had seen several strange and exotic things in his lifetime. Ren recovered first, delicately taking the detachable face and the doll's original version in his hands. Examining them closely, he realized that the 'face' was actually rather like a mask, but it fit perfectly seamlessly over the original. The new face was pleasant, smiling a gentlemanly smile that seemed to make it sparkle. The old face however, was a completely different matter. It was wide-eyed and faintly blue, its mouth open in- what was that expression? Was it shock? Fear?

Seeing their stunned expressions, Maria explained, "This is '**Ren scared stiff of Kyoko**.' You see, Onee-sama was unhappy that Ren-sama tricked her on the Ring-doh set, so she vowed to improve her skills so as not to be tricked by Ren-sama again. This doll represents Ren-sama's terror when Onee-sama gets her payback." Yashiro's jaw dropped. Ren stared, astounded, but years of acting enabled him to quickly recover his composure. The President was similarly stunned, and then burst into loud laughter.

Meanwhile, Kyoko cringed as she watched their changing expressions. She had noticed the short moment when her senpai's gentlemanly façade had dropped, shock written all over his face. She was in _big _trouble now, so the only thing to do was explain, and hope he didn't denounce her as his kouhai. Taking a deep breath, she fell flat on the floor and began, "I'm very, very, _very_ sorry, Tsuruga-san. I had blurted all those awful things because I did not know you very well, and thinking back I realize how silly I had behaved. I got all riled up at your supercilious attitude, your teasing and deceptive words, and thought that you were a bully who would fill my LoveMe book with minus stamps… Ah, gomen, gomen, I didn't mean to say such rude things, forgive me senpai, please forgive me, please… I'll do anything, I'll accept whatever punishment you see fit, you can chop me up or slice me into little bits, just don't say you never want to speak to me again!" she babbled incoherently, tears streaming down her face.

She had begun calmly, but with each word the idiocy of her actions was more apparent, and her pessimistic mind thought up the worst possible scenarios. She squeezed her eyes tight shut, mentally bracing herself for the inevitable onslaught of the Demon King. _He would start with the gentlemanly smile, his voice dripping with sarcasm, then he would sneer at her arrogance. Really, what was she thinking? Getting payback against Tsuruga Ren? What foolishness!_

Sunk in despair, ready for her execution, she was totally unprepared for his next words, "I'm sorry." "Eh?" she asked, confused. She was the one seeking forgiveness, so why was he apologizing?

Sensing the question in her expressive face, he continued, "I treated you badly, deliberately got you in trouble with Kumiko-san, and gave you all those minus stamps. I acted like a jerk, and for that I am truly sorry. Forgive me, Mogami-san, for upsetting you so much." Taken aback by the sincerity in his voice, she hastily reassured him, "No no, I'm not angry at all! It wasn't a big deal really, at that time lots of people made fun of me and docked points for no reason. Don't think too much about it, Tsuruga-san! After all, I'm the one at fault. I'm also sorry for my vindictive thoughts, saying I would get payback and such."

"Then, shall we call it even, Mogami-san?" he chuckled. Relieved that he wasn't upset, she gave him a nod and a small smile. He responded with an angelic smile that not only killed Kyoko's grudge demons, but also caused Maria's carnivorous plants to shrivel up from extreme brightness.

Lost in their own happy world, the two were rudely jolted back to reality when the President cleared his throat loudly. So far, Lory had enjoyed his evening very much. The Ren doll situation was absolutely hilarious, and rather than blowing up in their faces, it seemed to have brought his number one couple closer. _It's like killing two birds with one stone, _he mused, idly wondering what had caused the normally friendly Ren to display such hostility towards Kyoko. He chuckled evilly, looking rather like his granddaughter, as he contemplated his various spies and information sources. _This calls for some serious research…._

Maria was relieved that her two favorite people were getting along better, despite her careless blunder. Trying to rectify her mistake, she agreed, "That's right Ren-sama. The faces after that were much nicer!" Ren raised an eyebrow. "Oh, is that so? Can you show me, please?"

Much too late, Maria realized it was the wrong thing to say. But now she had no choice. Detaching the other faces, she listed out their names. "This is **'Stubborn Pride'**, Onee-sama made it when Ren-sama refused to accept he was sick. That one is **'Emergency Exit'**, I don't know the story behind its name….."

"I do**" Ren said, not elaborating further. "And what is this one called?" he asked, pointing to a rather red-faced doll, its mouth pouting in a petulant frown, half-laughing, half-sarcastic. "That one's the **'Completely Destructive Aura' **doll, a multipurpose scolding instrument!" Maria's enthusiasm revived, and she elaborated, "Look at the amazing craftsmanship! That face shows not just irritated humor and mild annoyance, but is also capable of expressing sarcasm and disdain through expression alone! No words are necessary to convey its point, one look says it all! Isn't it a work of art?"

Ren and Yashiro nodded dumbly, at a total loss for words. Kyoko seemed to have collected all of Ren's scariest expressions in the form of her handmade dolls. _There is no way such a doll could be a sign of affection, _Ren thought wryly. _Really, I had no idea I behaved so badly with her…_

Kyoko's mind was working in overdrive, desperately formulating a plan to steer the conversation into less dangerous topics. Maria, however, had other ideas.

"Onee-sama, why don't you show Ren-sama _your_ dolls?"

_Oh no. She was sooo dead…._

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**I am really, _really_ sorry this contradicts chapter 131.5, the truth is the site I download the manga from didn't have it ( ). I didn't even know that there was such a chapter till I received reviews for this chapter. Please forgive this discrepancy, and a big thanks to all the reviewers for pointing it out to me.**

***In chapter 183, Lory despairs that his plan of forced treatment for Mogami-kun hadn't advanced. That's where I got this bit from.**

****This refers to Kyoko's model training, when Ren teased her by making her pose as an emergency exit sign.**

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**So, did you enjoy it? I loved writing this fanfic, I've had this idea in my head for ****_months._**

**I tried to stay IC, but I got carried away while writing about Maria. Is she too OOC, or is she ok? She seems to talk too much, but I figured Kyoko wouldn't willingly explain her dolls to Ren, in fear of awakening the Demon Lord. Reviews, please!**

**Stay tuned for the next installment. I will update as soon as possible!**


	2. Chapter 2: The doll called 'Whimper'

**Chapter 2: The Doll called 'Whimper'**

**The previous chapter was rather like an introduction, the real story starts now! Please read and review.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat, it belongs to Yoshiki Nakamura-sensei.**

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Flashback:

Kyoko's mind was working in overdrive, desperately formulating a plan to steer the conversation into less dangerous topics. Maria, however, had other ideas.

"Onee-sama, why don't you show Ren-sama _your_ dolls?"

_Oh no. She was sooo dead…._

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The Present:

Kyoko writhed in agony, as Maria unknowingly signed her death warrant. She supposed she couldn't blame the child, after all, Maria was in awe of her work, though others found it creepy. But Maria's revelations were ruining her relationship with her senpai, judging from his frozen expression. _Time for damage control…._

Seeking desperately for an excuse, she shook her head vigorously and stammered, "I'd love to, Maria-chan, but unfortunately I- um.. I don't have any dolls with me at this time. Umm…Maybe later?" she chuckled nervously.

"But, Onee-sama, you always carry-" Maria protested, but was quickly interrupted.

"Well, if you all will excuse me, I really, _really_ need to go... see you later, then. Bye!" She turned tail and ran, frantic to escape the increasingly dangerous conversation. If her senpai saw her dolls, she was toast. But if he actually found out that she carried them with her all the time, the Demon Lord would probably roast her over a slow fire, toying with her, torturing her, making her beg for mercy before he ultimately killed her…. She shuddered, recalling the law of the jungle he had explained to her during their time as the Heel Siblings. _The predator plays with its prey and kills it, despite not eating it…._

Shivering at the memory, she quickened her pace, and was halfway across the room before the stunned audience realized she was gone. Unfortunately, in her haste, Kyoko totally forgot that she was in Maria's dungeon, and ran straight into one of the scattered banana peels (purposely scattered about to trip up unwelcome visitors). She slipped, but was quickly caught by large, strong hands. _Curse her luck. _Her rescuer was none other than her senpai. He gently helped her regain her balance, but did not let go of her, holding her arms and trapping her as effectively as Maria's Egyptian Mummy (the Mummy is real, not a robot, by the way).

"Now, now, Mogami-san, be careful" Ren chuckled, enjoying the contact and reluctant to let go. "You seem to be in a sudden hurry, almost as if you're hiding something." He let his statement hang in the air, along with the underlying threat, his tone clearly stating that Kyoko had no other option but to spill the beans.

The men watched as the teenager struggled pointlessly in the large man's grip, and then gave up and slid to the floor, slowly melting into a large pile of slime right in front of their eyes. Kyoko's obvious discomfort was making them more and more curious. It must be something really embarrassing if she was so reluctant to show them.

Kyoko sighed as she saw their expectant faces, and then reluctantly pulled out around half-dozen Ren dolls from her bag. "Well, aren't you going to introduce them like Maria introduced hers?" the President was bouncing on the balls of his feet, his eyes shining in anticipation, enjoying every moment of the unfolding drama. _Its almost as bad as Yashiro's fan-girl mode, _Ren sighed internally.

_Torture. Without a doubt, this was torture. The universe was conspiring against her, mainly in the form of the Takarada family._ Kyoko let out another huge sigh, then nodded, and began, "This one is **'Sarcastic Snort'**, from when Tsuruga-san snorted at my silliness relating to a certain idiot-". Shaking her head, she quickly changed the topic. Mentioning Sho would only make the situation much worse.

_Best to get this over with as fast as possible._ "This one is called **'Gardener Pruning a Tree'**. This is from the time Tsuruga-san scolded me for letting my depression from one job affect all my other jobs. I was surprised, but Tsuruga-san's scolding helped me cheer up immediately. This doll is very important to me as it encourages me to get over my ups and downs. You could say, its kind of.. like the most helpful doll..."

The party watched dumbfounded as a soft smile graced her features. In that moment, her face morphed into that of an angel, with an affectionate, almost loving expression. _Hoho, so she really loves him, though it seems she hasn't realized it yet…maybe the Heel Siblings wasn't entirely a waste of time, _the President beamed, pure joy radiating from his face. Yashiro squealed inwardly, nearly jumping in joy for his favorite couple. Meanwhile, Ren watched her, dazed, a small hope building inside him. _Could she return his feelings someday?_

Watching their love-struck expressions, Maria's emotions went on a roller-coaster ride. First, shock, as she realized that her Onee-sama and Ren-sama were in love with each other. Then disappointment, since she and Ren-sama couldn't be together. Finally, happiness that Ren-sama was in the hands of someone worthy of him, and that her Onee-sama had found someone who would cherish her forever. _They are perfect for each other_, she mused, hoping she would find such a wonderful love for herself someday.

All pleasant daydreaming was abruptly brought to an end, when Kyoko displayed the next doll. "This one is **'Give Up in Shock and Disgust'**, my latest doll." The listeners cringed; maybe this couple would never get together after all…

Examining the doll closely, Ren couldn't help sighing. _Is this how she thinks of me?_

Kyoko began packing up her dolls, eager to leave. "And that's all, so I'll be going now, have a good day-"

"Wait Onee-sama, it looks like some dolls are missing. Where are the **'Demon Lord' **and-"

Another frantic escape was thwarted by Ren, who took firm hold of her waist this time. "Come, Mogami-san, you needn't be embarrassed, please show me, I'm quite curious." Kyoko shook her head, struggling wildly in his iron grip.

Taking a deep breath, Ren used his ultimate weapon. Widening his eyes and his mouth droop pathetically, he gave her the babyish, pleading look that had been so effective against Setsu.

"Ooh, that's the **'Puppy Dog Pout'** doll's expression. When I saw it I couldn't believe Ren-sama actually made this sort of expression!" Maria exclaimed. Lory and Yashiro exchanged devilish glances. Ren saw their gleeful expressions and winced, hoping they would forget it soon; unaware that Lory's aide was discreetly taping every moment, for future laughs.

Ren raised the pout level to three, and Kyoko caved, showing him the dolls she was trying to stuff out of sight. Sure enough, the **'Puppy Dog Pout'** doll was a perfect copy of his pleading look. He picked up the next doll. It had a face of thunder; the little figure seemed to radiate a terrible fury. It seemed unbelievable that such a small cloth doll, almost a stuffed toy, could be so frightening. The name **'Demon Lord'** was truly apt. _No wonder she's so afraid of me,_ Ren mused. _I really have to keep my temper in check if I don't want to lose her forever._

"What's this called?" he asked, picking up the final doll, which Kyoko was trying to sneak into her bag without anyone noticing. Turning the doll around in his hands, Ren was startled to find its face stretched into a sexy grin, the picture of a predator that had chosen his prey. He recognized . _No wonder she simply freezes up I try to make a move towards her…_

_A seductive smirk._ Yashiro stared. _Unbelievable. I knew the gentlemanly exterior hid a rather wild young man, but I never imagined this sort of playboy attitude. Poor Kyoko-chan, what did he do to her, when he made that sort of expression? _

_Hoho, so he hasn't been so restrained after all._ Lory chuckled evilly. _Maybe his self-restraint is crumbling._

Kyoko let out a low moan, her head in her hands. They had even seen _that_ doll. She was finished. _Maybe I'll wake up and this will all be a bad nightmare…._

Kyoko seemed to have lost the ability to speak, so Maria filled in for her. "Onee-sama didn't give that one a name. Whenever she sees it, she turns pale and squeaks like a little mouse. So I decided to call it **'Whimper'**." Kyoko could only nod in agreement.

Truth be told, she had never intended to make a doll with that expression. But _that _face had come to her every night in her sleep, turning her fairy-filled dreams into dangerous nightmares. So she made a doll with the face of her fears, hoping that strangling the doll would somehow reduce her fear of the person in question. Sadly, the doll was no less frightening than the original, and had only served to _increase_ her terror, rather than reduce it. The mere sight of the doll sent shivers down her spine, making her recall even more vividly that night at his apartment when they had practiced for the Katsuki acting test….

Ren's mind was in turmoil. He simply didn't know what to make of these dolls. On one hand, he was happy that his beloved carried so many miniatures of him, but their purpose upset him. "What do you do with these dolls, exactly?" he enquired. Attempting to lighten the cloud of doom hanging over Kyoko's head, he joked, "You don't curse me with them, do you?"

Kyoko hastened to reassure him. "Oh no no, I would never curse you. After all, you have helped me so much, both with Mio and with Natsu, and you have always given such wonderful advice! I would never….. I just use them to reproach myself when I'm on the wrong track, and to motivate me whenever I feel low."

Ren recalled, "When you were my temporary manager, you imitated me, calling yourself an idiot. You did the same when you had trouble with Natsu. Could it be that you were actually talking to these dolls?"

She nodded. "I'm very sorry for hiding them from you Tsuruga-san, I was just afraid that you'll be angry if you found out.."

"I'm not angry, I'm just….rather surprised." _More like, totally astounded._ _"_But you see, this presents a problem. I don't mind you both having such dolls, but I am a little worried about what others will think if they found out. I think its better if you stop making such dolls, and hand over these to me."

Maria shook her head, clutching her Ren dolls close to her chest. "No!" she wailed, "Please don't take them away, Ren-sama, please. We promise no one will find out, if they do we'll curse them so they can never speak again!"

The President attempted to reason with her. "Ren is right, Maria. We have to consider how fans would react, and Mogami-kun's reputation might also be affected."

Tearing up, Maria begged, "Can't we keep just one?"

Ren sighed. He didn't want to upset the child. "Alright" he agreed, "but just one."

Maria squealed in joy, immediately choosing one doll for herself and handing over the rest. Ren dumped them into a plastic bag Lory's aide gave him. Honestly, he had no idea what to do with them. He didn't want to throw them away, as they were remarkably detailed, and must have taken a lot of time and effort. More importantly, they were made by Kyoko….

Turning his attention to the girl in question, he was surprised to find her a little distraught. Maybe she was more attached to the dolls than he realized…

"You can keep one too, Mogami-san" Ren said kindly, hoping to cheer her up. Kyoko frowned at her dolls for a moment, and then decided, "I'll keep the **'Give Up in Shock and Disgust'** doll, it is the most sarcastic and usually the most effective…" She trailed off, wincing as Ren gave her a full blast of his ultra gentlemanly smile.

Ren was mad. He had been very curious to see Kyoko's favorite doll, and was sorely disappointed. _Why that one?_ He cursed. **_'Puppy Dog Pout'_**_ was rather cute, and even __**'Gardener Pruning a Tree'**__ was kind-looking, but no, she had to pick the sarcastic one._

Wanting to punish her, he pointed to **'Whimper'**, he said "But that's the doll you're most afraid of, isn't it, Mogami-san? So you had better keep it." The decision made, he handed the mentioned doll to her, and dumped the rest into the bag, giving her an ultra-sparkling gentlemanly smile, shutting down any idea of protest.

Kyoko stared dumbly at the doll in her hands. _Nooo….! This is the one that I don't want the most!_

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**This is kind of like an in-between chapter, hope you like it.**

*** See chapter 177**


	3. Chapter 3: The True Name of Whimper

**Chapter 3: The True Name of Whimper**

**The usual disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat, though I wish I owned a room full of Ren dolls.**

Flashback:

Ren pointed to **'Whimper'**, and said "But that's the doll you're most afraid of, isn't it, Mogami-san? So you had better keep it."

Kyoko stared dumbly at the doll in her hands. _Nooo….! This is the one that I don't want the most!_

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The Present:

It was late in the evening, and Ren was casually strolling around the corridors of LME, hoping to catch a glimpse of a certain pink-clad female.

"You've got half an hour of free time before we head out for the next shoot." Yashiro had declared gleefully, before heading to his office on the pretext of urgent paperwork. Lately, Yashiro had been taking extra efforts to ensure that Ren's breaks were always at LME, and at a time when LoveMe Number One was sure to be there. Ren sighed. But even his manager's scheming could not grant him an audience with his elusive love.

The reason for this was obvious. Ever since the incident with the dolls, Kyoko had been avoiding him like the plague, dashing off in the opposite direction the moment she caught sight of him. He hadn't spoken with her for more than a week; and his phone calls never reached her. She _had_ replied to his calls, but always when he had been unavailable, almost as if she planned it that way. He replayed her recorded voicemails in his mind, a wry smile on his face. She had been polite, excessively so, and her voice held no trace of anger, yet those tinny, mechanical voicemail messages only made him feel lonelier, to the point that he felt almost sick. He chuckled. Funny how a single teenage girl could throw his entire life into chaos, without even meaning to. In the short span of one year, she had become indispensable to him, and he was starved for her company; he missed her so much it was as if he dying of hunger. Well, in his case this might be literal, as he had been skipping many more meals in the absence of Kyoko's usual fussing.

By now, Ren seriously regretted impulsively forcing the **'Whimper'** doll unto her, and confiscating the others. What did it matter if she preferred the sarcastic one, if she was happy and speaking with him normally, instead of sprinting away as fast as she could? Her smiles made his day, and her unpredictable and hilarious antics kept him in good spirits through all his jobs. _I feel so empty without her that I could eat two whole plates of food if it was her cooking…._

He reached the LoveMe room and entered on tiptoe to avoid alerting the person inside. But he needn't have bothered. To his surprise, Kyoko was there, kneeling on the floor on the far side of the room, a cloud of gloom over her head. She seemed to emit a bone-chilling black fog, muttering to herself and oblivious to everything around her. She was so absorbed in her depression; he doubted she would have noticed a bomb go off right next to her. Peering around her, he saw the **'Whimper'** doll leaning against the wall in front of her. She seemed to be explaining her problem to the smirking doll, so Ren cautiously closed the door behind him and observed her silently.

Truth be told, ever since he had seen the **'Whimper'** doll he had been itching to find out how Kyoko behaved with it. He was secretly pleased that the Katsuki acting practice had such an impact on her, even if she wrote off his unusual behavior as acting. Well, turning pale and whimpering could hardly be called a good reaction, but after seeing how calm she was after seeing him naked in the bath, _any_ reaction was a good reaction. For the thousandth time, he wondered what she would have done if he _had _kissed her. _She would probably have run away and avoided him for the rest of his life, but hell, she was doing the same thing now, wasn't she?_

"…..it isn't out of character as Natsu is a fashionable and attractive girl, and she really wants to punish Chitose, so it makes sense that she would want to break her heart….But to steal away her boyfriend, Natsu has to get close to him….."

"Aargh, but Natsu is ME, and a pure maiden like me couldn't possibly do such a shameless indecent thing!" Rocking back and forth, furiously shaking her head, a flood of tears escaping from her eyes, she continued, "I got the general idea from the movies and dramas Moko-san showed…, and it's not like the scene is particularly explicit..…But it is still TOO MUCH!"

The shaking resumed with increased vigor, and Ren was tempted to hold her still, lest she hurt herself, till her next sentence had him frozen at the spot. **"Help me, Tsuruga-san; I haven't the faintest idea how to flirt!"**

She held her head in her hands and, unaware of both Ren's presence and his raging emotions, let out another wail. Ren's mind was in turmoil, thoughts churning inside his skull like coffee beans inside a blender*. _She didn't hate him._ He supposed it was good news. She needed his help. That, again, was good news. She had to do a flirting scene with another guy. That was bad; very, _very_, bad. He could feel his anger building inside, furious with the director for giving such a scene to his sweet, innocent Kyoko, furious with whichever idiot would act the scene with her, furious at his own cowardice, his hesitation to express his feelings….

And then there was the issue of what she wanted help with. _A flirting scene_. Normally, he wouldn't have any problems with such a scene, but to explain it to an innocent, naïve girl, particularly the girl he loved…the prospect brought beads of sweat to his forehead. His already fragile self-restraint had been severely shaken due to prolonged periods of imprisonment with his underage crush in the same hotel room, especially when said crush was completely immersed into the role of a clingy little sister with a brother-complex. If he was supposed to show her how to flirt, most likely in the privacy of his apartment, his dwindling control would undoubtedly shatter, and destroy what was left of their….relationship, if it could even be called that. _But the possibilities were limitless. Showing her how to flirt would mean that he could touch her freely without her screaming and running away, he could casually put his arm around her, maybe even hug her…. She wants to learn, I would simply be giving her a demonstration…_

He blinked, shocked at his irresponsible thoughts. _I can't do that! It would be taking advantage of her!_ He would be labeled a playboy and a flirt; and lose what little trust she had in him.

He took a deep breath to calm himself, forgetting for a moment that he was supposed to be hiding; and that Kyoko was in the room. _Relax._ If he was honest with himself, he didn't want her doing such a scene, unless it was him…..

He shook himself, trying to dispel the deviant fantasies filling his mind, and attempted to analyze the situation rationally. Despite Kyoko's wailing and head-hitting, she was a professional; and he knew she couldn't be dissuaded from doing the scene, regardless of how much she was against it. Mentally groaning, he wondered if there was a kiss in the scene.

As if answering his unsaid question, Kyoko wiped away her tears and resumed her conversation with the **'Whimper'** doll. "Thankfully there is no kiss in this scene, and not _too_ much touching….but it's still indecent! The shirt is supposed to be undone till the third button, and her skirt is even shorter than usual…though it isn't as short as Setsu's." she finished in a quiet whisper.

She sighed, and looked back at the smirking doll. "Hmph, you're finding this funny, aren't you? Seeing me get so worked up over a little flirting scene. I'm sure you could do it with no trouble at all, after all you're such a playboy, I'm sure you have a lot of experience in such things….. I bet you wouldn't even be embarrassed! You'll just apply the Actor's Rule of Heart, and finish it in one take as usual... After all, the reason you created such a rule must be because you have done so many of these scenes, that's why you have no sense of Japanese modesty!" she declared.

_How had things come to this?!_ Ren was stunned. He had made up the rule simply to cheer her up, to brain-wash her into believing that Fuwa wasn't her first kiss, but somehow she had twisted his words to reinforce her playboy / con-artist impression!

After another minute of crying, pulling out her hair, and biting her fingernails, she seemed to regain her composure. "Sorry for that pathetic display, senpai" she told the doll, "but that's the entire story. I don't know what to do, the Director won't change the scene, Moko-san's advice isn't working, and most of all I am dying of embarrassment! No sensible girl would sit on the table with her skirt hitched up, showing her entire thighs! No jacket, shirt not tucked in, extra transparent so even the bra is visible; how indecent!"

As she rambled on, Ren found his relief at the absence of a kiss in the scene fast fading, as he listened to all the provocative things Natsu was supposed to do to her poor victim, completely seducing him and twisting him round her finger. His jealousy had long given way to a slowly simmering anger; the poor script-writer was in _big_ trouble, as Ren was going to _butcher_ him. Taken aback by the intensity of his murderous thoughts, he channeled his fury into his clenched fist, as Rick had taught him, drawing blood as the nails bit into his skin. When he was sufficiently calm, he directed his attention back towards the distraught teenager. She had dabbed away her tears; she looked pale, yet determined.

"I'm not really _too_ bothered by the outfit, I've worn less as Setsu" she explained to the doll, "I know I can get into character and do the scene if I know what to do. I was bullied in elementary and middle school, so I could draw from experience for the bullying scenes, just increasing their intensity. I know I can do this, this….._uncomfortable_ scene, if I have some experience I can use as a reference while acting. In addition, the script is not very detailed, the Director wants all the movements to be natural, unrestrained by the confines of the script….basically, I can do the scene, if I know how to- how to….._flirt" _She spat out the last word as if it was something obscene, vulgar; her face marred by a huge frown.

Ren nearly jumped out of his skin at her next words. **_"Do you want me to teach you?" _**she murmured; in a low, husky, masculine, and utterly seductive voice. It was unbelievable that such a sexy whisper came from the petite, gentle Kyoko.

"**Noooo**!" she screamed in her normal voice, her face as white as a ghost, backing away from the wall and bumping into the table behind her, all the while frantically bowing a dogeza and stammering a long-winded apology, "I'm so sorry senpai; I didn't mean to burden you with my troubles; that wasn't my intention at all! …I'll manage the scene somehow, really, don't bother about me; I don't want to learn from you… Ah no, I mean, you don't need to teach me… I'll find out…somehow…"

Ren blinked twice, his confused brain finally making sense of the baffling situation. Kyoko was still conversing with the doll; the brief change in behavior was actually an imitation of HIM, when he had fallen on top of her in his kitchen! Had he really spoken to her in such a lustful voice, his voice dripping with dishonorable intentions? _Curse the chicken and his stupid advice._

He was amazed that she had actually accepted such obvious seduction as acting, and could write it off so easily. Any _normal_ girl would keep wondering if he was really serious, and even if she concluded he was not, would still be unable to react normally around him….but Kyoko was not normal; she was, after all, a LoveMe girl. But still, he was pleased she remembered that evening; just as the feeling of her in his arms, her scent, her softness; everything had been burned into his memory….

Ren was distracted from his reminiscences by her loud, angry voice. "Don't give me that smirk! How dare you laugh at me! My lack of experience in such matters isn't funny; it is the indication of a proper upbringing! It's not that I am completely clueless in these matters; I've seen how Sho's crazed fans behave… It's simply because you are an accomplished playboy that you can be so natural and comfortable with such indecent scenes!" She pointed an accusing finger at the **'Whimper'** doll.

Ren winced. _She has such a terrible opinion about me…._

She continued to rant, her tone scolding, "Even your Katsuki was incredibly indecent! As a teacher, to lie on top of his student and cling tightly, can you say it is not a bad thing? Using your finger to caress my lips, can you say it is not sexual harassment? Of course you find my problem ridiculous, you would be least bothered by this scene, you might even find it mildly entertaining! After all, you're the **'Emperor of the Night'**; your existence is a pain to the female eyes!"

Ren's eyes widened. _EMPEROR OF THE NIGHT?_

* * *

***Is this bad analogy? Please give me your opinion through a review. Constructive criticism is always appreciated.**

**The second last paragraph is mostly copied from the manga. After all, as Kyoko said, when in doubt, follow the script!**

**A big thanks for all the wonderful reviews! Yay! 'Whimper' has touched a 1,000 views! I'm soo happy…**

**I know that flirting lessons are a rather cliche plot in Skip Beat! fan-fiction, but I needed a way to steer the conversation towards the final revelation of Whimper's name...besides, all of us like the RenxKyoko flirting moments, don't we? (At least I do..)**


	4. Chapter 4: Emperor of the Night

**Chapter 4: Emperor of the Night**

**The usual disclaimer: Skip Beat! is the property of Yoshiki Nakamura-sensei, I only own this story, and my hyper imagination.**

* * *

_EMPEROR OF THE NIGHT? Is that what she calls the doll!? Does she even understand the implications of that name? Did she realize just how close she was to losing her innocence? Sexual harassment…_he winced. If course he had gone a bit too far while practicing Katsuki, it's only natural that she should think that way about him. Deflated, he admitted to himself that the **'Whimper'** doll had made him hope she secretly didn't mind their proximity on that evening. But Kyoko had rather old-fashioned ideas about proper behavior.

Ren contemplated announcing his presence, but paused when Kyoko imitated him again, "You didn't listen to your sensei; instead you dare to insult him? Interesting…. Maybe I should punish you for your disrespect?"

Oh, God! She made the simple word '_punish'_ sound so incredibly lewd…. For Ren, watching her imitate him in that sexy, alluring voice was slow torture.

Ren watched in amusement as Kyoko once again turned pale and let out a little squeak, "No no, don't punish me, _please_, I'm begging you, Emperor-sama…, I will never behave so rudely ever again, I swear!" Curling herself into a ball on the floor, much like a pill-bug, she continued, "I'm really sorry, senpai, I apologize, please forgive your foolish kouhai...at least let it be a Cain-style punishment, or even Demon Lord-style; please Emperor-sama, don't eat me alive!"

Ren was lost in increasingly deviant thoughts. _Eat her alive? How tempting…_Wait, WHAT? So she was actually aware of what the look meant… then why didn't she escape? Could it be she _liked_ it?...And what are Cain-style and Demon Lord-style punishments anyways?

Kyoko continued in the Emperor's voice, adopting a slightly sarcastic tone, "You say you'll manage somehow, but in the end you always come to me….. Remember, who explained aboutcharacter creation when you were stuck with Mio? Who put up with your 2 AM visit and taught you how to walk like a model for your Natsu? _This is simply another thing I will have to teach you…"_ The last line was nothing more than a whisper, but the voice was dripping with honey, conjuring images full of dark pleasure and hidden desires.

Ren was stunned. The extent of her change in tone was unbelievable. _If she talks like this during the flirt scene, she'll be attacked by her male co-stars!_

"I know that! I am always grateful that you spare time and give such wonderful guidance to this lowly kouhai…but that is the normal you. When you give me advice as usual, you are kind and gentle and helpful; but if I ask you to give me flirting classes, you'll turn into the Emperor of the Night, and I just can't handle that guy!"

"Aargh!" screaming out in frustration, "I did such shameless things as Setsu; why can't I do the same as Natsu? I understood all the moves in the videos I watched, why can't I just act it out?" She sighed, and proceeded in a quiet voice, "Maybe I really am useless; doomed to never be good enough….."

Ren's heart broke at her small, pathetic, miserable voice. Her face clearly spoke of the mental damage her mother's coldness and Sho's callousness had caused. Kyoko was always smiling and cheerful, so he sometimes forgot how much pain and suffering she had endured, alone and friendless; immersing herself in the fairytale world of princess stories to escape the harsh realities of life…

He longed to simply scoop her into his arms, tell her how much he loved her; even if she wasn't good enough for her mother, she was perfect in his eyes. He wanted to show her how many people cared about her, how many lives she had changed; that Maria, her best friend Moko-san, Matsunai Ruriko, Ogata, Sawara-san, Lory, Yashiro, and most of all himself, all were indebted to her and would always be there for her….. Even Sho, who had tossed her aside, was seriously reconsidering her value. Ren highly doubted if Sho would have gotten this far without Kyoko supporting him as he worked towards his superstar dream. _I'm not like him…. I'll wait for you, cherish you… don't cry Kyoko, I'll always be there for you, I promise._

But doing such a thing would only frighten her; she would avoid him, erase his existence from her mind. Biting his tongue to keep himself silent, he clenched his fist; staying rooted to the spot, his body trembling with a flood of emotions.

"**Really, getting upset over such a thing; frankly, you're being a pain." **Ren winced as she resumed her imitations. _Would I really say such heartless things...? _He recalled the incident on the Dark Moon set, on the 26th of December, the day after her birthday, when she was upset over being late for the Box-R script reading. He winced. _I DID say that! _He whacked his head in self-reproach. _I'm such a jerk! I treat her so badly, no wonder I haven't made any progress with her at all... I should consider myself lucky she still talks to me…._

His heart blossomed at the warmth in her next imitation. **"Really, now, I wouldn't bother with you if I didn't think you were capable."** she said, gentle smile on her face, a soft blush coloring her cheeks. In her normal voice, she cried out, "Thank you senpai, you always know the right things to say, how to cheer me up and motivate me. Sometimes I think you have magic of your own; your Tsuruga-san magic, it's actually rather like Corn's magic…"

Ren's mind was torn in two. He was elated that she took strength from his words; that just a memory of him could cheer her up, even if he was not present for pretty smile on her face made him fall in love with her all over again. _Tsuruga-san magic…._ Really, what strange things she said. On the other hand, he was worried that she was starting to notice similarities between him and 'Corn'. How would she react if she knew that her Fairy Prince was actually the rash, violent monster Kuon Hizuri; hiding behind the mask of the 'gentle' Tsuruga-Ren?

"But despite your kind words, the truth is that I'm a hopeless failure!" Though she was nearly flat on the stomach, banging her fist against the smooth floor; Ren was glad. Anything was better than her simply sitting like an empty shell as she had done minutes previously; her small, miserable voice faint, lost in a pit of despair and hopelessness. He was relieved that she had snapped out of it; and regained her usual vigor. Most of all, he was positively _beaming_ with happiness that it was his words that brought the life back into her. So what if she had to do a flirt scene with someone else, so what if she hadn't spoken to him all week, what did the doll, her fear of his 'Emperor' look, or even _Sho_ matter; if it was HIM she relied on to get over her slump?

Warmth seemed to spread to every corner of his body, his face glowing with happiness and satisfaction. He didn't have to be Number One in his heart; just the fact that she kept a little space for him there was enough to make him giddy with joy. _I'm really hopeless, aren't I?_

"Yes, I'm going to do the scene, and make Tsuruga-san and Father proud! I'm going to become a first-rate actress someday; this is simply another challenge, another hurdle to overcome. I CAN DO IT!" She jumped up, her hand in the air, fingers forming the victory symbol.

Scooping up the 'Emperor' doll into her hands, she flashed it a bright smile, and to Ren's utter surprise, she gave it a quick hug. "Arigatou senpai; thank you for everything. I don't know what I would do without you…."

"Ah, finally got your fighting spirit back, I see", the doll responded, "Took you long enough." The sarcastic tone was back, in perfect pitch and tone; and Ren could not help think, _she'd be a huge success if she ever tried a career in ventriloquism….._

"Yes, I'm determined to do this scene, even though I don't like it; this is part of an actor's balanced diet! I have to show that I can play a wide range of roles; otherwise I'll be typecast as a bully!" _Actor's balanced diet? Did she get that weird phrase from his father? _Ren wondered.

"**Well then, shall I give you some lessons?". **The 'Emperor' voice was back, but this time, Kyoko did not back down in fear. Instead, she rested her back against the table, her posture casual and relaxed; and replied confidently in Natsu's voice, "Oh yes, I still have a lot to learn." Giggling suddenly, she leant towards the doll, which was now back onto the floor; and let out a sensual whisper "I think I would enjoy that lesson _very much_."

Ren was completely bewitched. Her tone, body language, every tiny movement was unbelievably provocative. Without realizing, he had taken two steps towards her; her honeyed voice lighting up the passion he tried desperately to bury deep within him.

She let out a deep breath, and once more stood perfectly straight; as Natsu's spirit left her, and she became Kyoko once again. Ren snapped out of his lust-induced daze. _I suppose I was lucky I couldn't see her face. If I saw her expression, I would have completely lost it…._

Ren was staring to get really confused. The 'Emperor' imitation showed clearly just how seductive she could be if she wanted to; then why was she having trouble with the scene?

As if answering his question, she continued "I realize that this scene would call for Setsu-like behavior, and I tried to bring out Setsu during the practice rehearsal; but I just couldn't! It's simply not possible, as Setsu isn't interested in anyone other than her brother….." She sighed at the 'Whimper' doll, or 'Emperor of the Night', as he now knew she called it. "It appears that you're the only one who can help me."

She whipped her head around at a soft chuckle behind her, her mouth wide open in horror. Standing by the door, looking calm and unruffled, was none other than her companion in her imaginary conversation, the person she was doing her utmost to avoid, Tsuruga Ren. Holding her heart as the shock subsided, she cried out, "Tsuruga-san you surprised me!" Then, the sudden realization of what she had been doing hit her, and she wailed, "How long have you been here?"

"Quite a while", he responded, wearing an amused smile as she screamed in shock and despair, apologizing profusely for her outrageous display, "I'm sooo sorry, Tsuruga-san! I promised myself I wouldn't talk with the dolls… I mean doll, anymore. I didn't mean to embarrass you with my indecent hobbies, I didn't mean any disrespect at all, please believe me…. I won't do it again, I swear!"

Chuckling, he walked nonchalantly up to her, saying, "Now then, I couldn't help overhearing about your problem. I have to go now, but I am free this evening. I'll pick you up tonight; we'll have dinner at my apartment and then practice the scene."

Eyes wide, Kyoko noticed that it was a statement, not a question. But all protest died in her throat as he captured her eyes with his own; his mouth widening into a smirk mirroring that of the doll in her hands.

"**It would be my **_**pleasure**_**"**, the Emperor of the Night whispered into her ear, standing right behind her and slipping his hands around her waist. _**"But I can't promise not to eat you…"**_

* * *

**Is this chapter too heavy? I had intended this fanfic to be a light-hearted comedy, but seems to have become rather serious and introspective; a reflection of my own personality. **

**Please write me your thoughts! Reviews are always appreciated, and I'd be trilled if you sent me long reviews, telling me which parts you liked and which parts you didn't. **

**I would also love feedback on the little things, like: Are the paragraphs too long? Should I put more spacing between paragraphs? The use of Bold, Italics and Underline are random, simply to convey the emphasis as if it was an actual conversation….please tell me if you find it confusing!**

**Merry Christmas to everyone! Consider this chapter as my Christmas gift to you all!**


	5. Chapter 5: Dangerous Lessons

**Chapter 5: Dangerous Lessons**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat!**

**Flashback:**

Chuckling, he walked nonchalantly up to her, saying, "Now then, I couldn't help overhearing about your problem. **"It would be my **_**pleasure**_** to help you"**, the Emperor of the Night whispered into her ear, standing right behind her and slipping his hands around her waist. _**"But I can't promise not to eat you…"**_

* * *

Kyoko sat in the passenger seat of Tsuruga Ren's car, laden with plastic grocery bags, casting a wary eye out; for what, she didn't know. Her instincts were telling her to run; to escape _**now**_, when she was still in the car; if she entered his apartment, there was no way out, she was doomed. She stole a glance at her senpai; and let out a relieved sigh when he gave her a natural smile. _At least the Emperor of the Night has not yet come out…_

She suppressed a small shiver when she recalled how the Emperor had glided towards her, casually hugging her from behind. _Really, how could he! What if someone had seen them? What would they have thought!? Your reputation will be ruined if you continue to act so immodestly!_ But naturally, she kept her thoughts to herself, afraid to antagonize him. He was currently normal, but she could feel the electricity in the air; and her grudge demons warned her that the Emperor was right beneath the surface, waiting to be unleashed in the privacy of his apartment...

How could she be stupid enough to agree to practice a flirting scene with a handsome, male and obviously romantically experienced adult, in his apartment, late at night? Even stupider was the fact that she had agreed to spend the night there. Accepted, it would be past midnight when they finished –and this was an optimistic estimate- but such a thing was still indecent!

Kyoko frowned. She just couldn't figure out why she was uncomfortable spending the night at his place. She had shared a hotel room with him with any awkwardness, even (here she blushed) shared a bed with him once; in his apartment she would at least stay in a separate room….yet why was she so fidgety? Was her nervousness stemming from the fact that they were doing this practice as themselves, and not under the disguise of characters? But she had stayed over during model training for Natsu; she hadn't felt awkward then….but she had been so exhausted at that time….

In addition, no one knew that she was going to be with him….she had told the Darumaya couple that she would be away on work. Well, this was practice for work…wasn't it? They had grown accustomed to it during the Heel Siblings period; so nowadays they did not think much of her absence….they wouldn't know if anything went wrong….Oh no! What if the Emperor went berserk? Nobody would come looking for her….and by the time somebody comes, there might be nothing left to save; would the Emperor pick her bones clean, then dispose of her remains in some less-frequented alleyway in a corner of the city, a dumpster perhaps? ….No no, the phrase _'eat you alive'_ wasn't literal; the Emperor definitely wasn't a cannibal; and besides he was only repeating the words she had used. But why did she feel chills down her spine when _**he**_ said it?

Withdrawn in her increasing negative and far-fetched thoughts; Kyoko failed to notice that they had arrived, till Ren held the door open for her. Quickly gathering herself, she stepped into his apartment –which she now called _'The Emperor's Lair'_ in her head- , hanging her jacket and slipping off her shoes in favor of the pair of indoor slippers he usually kept for her (he thought of them as 'her' pair, but of course, Ren wasn't going to tell her that, was he?). Depositing the food on the kitchen counter, she proceeded to whip up a light meal for the both of them; while Ren sat on his couch, contemplating the situation he impulsively landed himself into.

Ren was having second thoughts about the whole thing. He had, on the spur of the moment, invited her for this little practice session; he hadn't considered the implications of loosening his restraints when they were all alone….no one to stop him should he give in to his desires…_really, she was torturing him…_but she was relying on him to help her with the scene…

He sighed. He had always dreamed of the day he could hold her in his arms without hesitation; but this was certainly NOT how he imagined it. He didn't want to touch her on the pretext of acting; he wanted to show her his genuine feelings; conveying the depth of his love through his passionate words; not as a pretend-victim to her seduction!_ Well, he was already her victim anyway; though she was totally oblivious of it…_

Unhappy as he was, he couldn't deny the silver linings of the whole scenario. He could be intimate with her; say the things that were always running through his head, but never passed through his lips in fear of her reaction; casually put his arm around her; maybe even caress her cheek, stroke her silky skin, run his hand through her chestnut hair….he shook his head, trying to clear the increasingly indecent thoughts running through his mind.

He also secretly hoped this little 'training' could make her see him as a man. It was a very slim chance, he knew; after all, she hadn't batted an eyelid even when she had seen him naked…but still this was a chance.

His daydreams were brought to an abrupt end by her cheery announcement, "Dinner is ready!" In that moment, he made another split-second decision. Adopting his 'Emperor' look, he leant towards her and whispered into her ear, _"If it isn't ready, I can eat you instead…"_

Predictably, she froze. Thinking he had gone too far, he was about to pull away; when, to his surprise, she giggled. "Oh you! You're not skipping any more meals; no matter how much you try to sweet-talk me.… did you have any lunch? Hmmm….maybe I should lace your food with something to _motivate_ you, ….poison perhaps?" she gave him a light punch on the chest, and continue laying the table as if nothing unusual had happened. _Huh, she's already in character…._That coquettish tone, her model-like walk, the casual threat of poison leaving one wondering if she was actually half-serious; everything showed she had turned into Natsu. Stressed as he was, he couldn't help but admire how Kyoko could just _become_ the character; without any preparation, at the blink of an eye.

He was relieved she didn't over-react at his boldness; but as usual, she brushed it off as acting; _will she ever see my feelings?_ He wondered. Still, she didn't pull away; wasn't that an indication for him to continue?

He replied "Your food is always the best… I have no interest in any other food, so I rarely eat. My poor eating habits are your fault, really." She gave him a coy smile at this; but did not stop arranging the dishes. "If you came to cook for me more often, I'd probably eat more…"

"Rubbish!" she exclaimed vigorously, a bit of Kyoko peeking through Natsu's playfulness. "You simply aren't taking care of your body; that's rather unprofessional of you, don't you think?" Realizing her mistake, she slipped back into character, saying with a vicious chuckle _"You eat next to nothing, yet you seem perfectly fine. It makes me wonder exactly how strong you are, how much I can play with you before I get bored..."_

Ren blinked in shock. WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN? Play? _**Play**_? Did she mean 'torture' in the Natsu sense, or did she mean it the other way?

Kyoko peeked at her senpai from behind her eyelashes. His face was unchanged, but she could sense from the slight stiffening of his shoulders that he was taken aback by her statement. _Did I go too far..? _she mused. He's probably wondering if her statement had any underlying meaning. She suppressed a small smile. She was actually copying _HIS_ actions during the Katsuki acting test, when he asked Mizuki to play the piano together with him.

After a full minute of silence, she almost took pity at his surprise, and decided to clarify for him. "I wonder; how much can you endure before you break? It would be really boring if you got tired even before level 4…."

Ren heaved a sigh of relief. His mind had been running in circles, trying to figure out what she meant by that provocative statement; wondering exactly how far she intended to go with this charade. At the same time, he was a little disappointed that her meaning had been more innocent than he wished…..

Kyoko relaxed as his brow cleared, and he resumed his casual flirting, adopting the same double-meaning tactics she employed, "I'm sure I can _amuse_ you, but are you _sure_ you can keep up with me?"

Now it was Kyoko's turn to get flustered. Covering it up by changing the topic, she quickly said "There is one thing I'm sure I can keep up, and even exceed you in; and that's eating. Let's dig in, and you'd better finish your food, or else I might think up an appropriate _punishment_." she finished with a little devilish giggle.

Like this, they continued to banter, sentences filled with teasing compliments and hidden innuendos; both enjoying their meal immensely. _It's almost like a date..._Ren mused with quiet satisfaction. Shaking his head, he urged his brain to remember the real reason they were doing this- to help her with the flirt scene, not to hang out together like a couple. But she seemed perfectly comfortable; maybe she wouldn't be opposed to doing this more often…but how could he ask her out next time, when she was Kyoko, not Natsu; without her over-reacting?

Kyoko was having fun. At first, she had felt awkward and uncomfortable, saying such indecent things to her senpai; but gradually she had relaxed, and now she was enjoying their light chatting. It was refreshing, really, to talk to him as if he was an equal, a friend, a _boyfriend_, in fact…..Realizing where her train of thoughts had led her; she began shaking her head furiously. _No no, Kyoko, it's just acting, just acting; he doesn't feel anything for you…..I'm not in love, not in love…_she chanted, but the annoying warmth in her heart refused to leave.

They finished dinner, all the while talking of random topics, the weather, the food, the Darumaya couple; everything except work. But after clearing the table, Ren decided it was time for the serious practice to begin. He took a deep breath, and voiced the question in his mind all evening. "Let's get on with the practice, Mogami-san. The truth of the matter is... I'm not exactly sure why you need help with his scene. You're doing perfectly fine, in fact, you're doing very well. Your acting is natural and unaffected; and I'm impressed at your ad-lib skills. So what is the problem? What went wrong at your practice rehearsals?"

Natsu was gone, leaving behind a thoughtful Kyoko. "At first, I was confident I could do this scene because it was rather like Setsu; I used the Heel Siblings act as reference. It seemed appropriate, but during the rehearsal, I realized there was a huge difference. Setsu was clingy and flirty, but her brother was the only person in the world to her….she never noticed anyone else; she pampered and doted on him, and her brother acted the same way with her. In this scene, Natsu has to flirt with someone else's boyfriend, a person she barely knows…then again, it's not like Natsu will mind…BUT I MIND! Acting Setsu was ok because she loved her brother, and he loved her back…..it was _right_. But here, there aren't any real feelings between the two. Natsu is only manipulating him, he's just a toy; and he doesn't care about her at all, he's just attracted and seduced by her provocative actions, that's plain WRONG." She banged her head against the wall, exclaiming with annoyance, "Stupid me, that's why it's called _flirting_! Moko-san is right, I'm really old-fashioned…"

Ren didn't know what to make of this. She had just said she was ok doing such things with him, hadn't she? She really trusted him, relied on him…even used the forbidden word _'love'_ in connection with him (though she was talking about her 'brother'). She said they were _'right'_. She meant Cain and Setsu; but could her definition later be extended to include Ren and Kyoko as well? Did the role make her regard him with affection; did Setsu's feelings influence her own? Ren resolved to subtly question her on the pretext of the flirting classes; a small flame of hope burning quietly within him.

"**Are you saying its okay as long as it's with me?"**

_Ok, maybe that was not so subtle…._

* * *

**Thanks everyone for all the wonderful reviews and praises. I'll do my best to live up to your expectations! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!**


	6. Chapter 6: Of Flirting and Forwardness

**Chapter 6: Of Flirting and Forwardness**

**Flashback:**

Ren didn't know what to make of this. She had just said she was ok doing such things with him, hadn't she? She even used the forbidden word _'love'_... She said they were _'right'_. She meant Cain and Setsu; but could her definition later be extended to include Ren and Kyoko as well? Ren resolved to subtly question her on the pretext of the flirting classes; a small flame of hope burning quietly within him.

"**Are you saying its okay as long as it's with me?"**

* * *

_Ok, maybe that was not so subtle, but he had to know._ Ren tried to convince himself that the question was merely to better understand her problem, trying to ignore the hammering of his heart that said otherwise.

For a moment, she froze, just as she had when he lay on top of her in his kitchen while practicing Katsuki. Ren was worried by her reaction, but he had no intention of backing down, or letting her change the topic. He was far too curious, and so he was determined to wait,no matter how long it took her to un-freeze and respond.

He was rewarded with a deep blush and an agitated yelp. "No, it's not like that at all! I just became accustomed to it as Setsu…so I don't find it odd when you do it as yourself; I know I can trust you…Nii-san will take care of me…Oh all right! I guess it _is_ okay as long as it's with you."

"Oh" was all Ren could say. He stared reflectively at her for a while, and then said, "Thank you Mogami-san, your trust means a lot to me."

Kyoko was taken aback by the genuine sincerity in his voice. This wasn't any flirtatious whisper, it was a statement straight from the heart; and it sent a warn tingle through every cell of her body; a soft pink color creeping across her cheeks.

Ren could feel his own face reddening at the sight of her adorable blush. Clearing his throat, he proceeded awkwardly, "Well, since you seem to have grasped the basics, let us proceed to the scene in question. You are right that though love is important, _flirting_ is merely expressing attraction to someone. You don't have to love someone to flirt with them." Somehow, he managed to say it in his best 'senpai' voice; desperately attempting to swat away his definitely un-senpai-like thoughts. "So all you need to do is focus on conveying that attraction through your gestures, but there is no need to focus too deeply on the other person, because like you said, he's just Natsu's toy, she doesn't feel anything for him."_And I don't want you getting close to him, he added mentally_.

"How do I do that?" Kyoko was listening attentively now, confident that her senpai, the god of the acting world, would magically conjure up the perfect solution to her problems.

"Okay, let's take it slowly. Attraction can be expressed through body language, tone etc. For example, how does the 'Emperor of the Night' look, as you call it, affect you?

In truth, he had completely forgotten the original purpose of this flirting lecture. Now, it was merely an excuse to find out how she felt about his displays of affection.

Her prompt response was an arrow to his heart. "It scares me out of my wits! I completely freeze in terror, my legs turn into jelly, so I can't move despite my brain screaming to run away! Sometimes I even start shivering…."

Ren winced. "Okay, maybe that was the wrong example. Think about this, have you ever observed how some actors pay special attention to certain co-stars, asking them out, trying to do something extra for the one they are fond of?" _Like the things I do for you._ Biting his lip to keep himself from blurting out his thoughts, he continued a little forcefully, "For example, have you seen a co-worker asking out another for dinner, or a movie, or simply offering to drive her home? They are all signs of flirting, of showing a desire to pursue a relationship with the person…..it can also be little things, like pulling out a chair or offering an arm to a lady, or holding open a door; such things are subtle signs of interest….flirting is not necessarily indecent on its own, only the when the touching begins that it becomes forward…"

"Eeeh, but Hiraku-san is always offering me rides and suggesting dinner. Is that also a form of flirting?" Answering herself, she shook her head. "No, of course not, I'm being silly, why would he be interested in a plain girl like me?"

_WHO IS THIS HIRAKU GUY?_

Ren had thought that despite her rising popularity, Kyoko's fan-base was limited due to her mean roles. He had not considered anyone other than Sho, Kijima and Vie Ghoul, to be serious competitors for her affections. _Big mistake._Because of this, he had completely missed out this Hiraku person, who was apparently bold enough to ask her out, repeatedly, in fact!

Resisting the urge to interrogate her about this new pest in their relationship, Ren frowned. "I urge you to take this man seriously, Mogami-san. After all, he wouldn't ask if he wasn't interested in you… Don't tell me you have forgotten what I told you about the Dark Moon Party incident?" His voice became lower and slightly menacing; and Kyoko flinched in response.

Undaunted by her reaction, he continued, "Now that I think about it, Kijima-kun is the best example of a flirt. Do you remember the way he casually put his hand around your waist, and the way he complimented you? He asked you out, didn't he?" Ren was aware he was letting his jealousy get the better of him; but he couldn't help it. The thought of Kjima being so forward with _his_ Kyoko made his blood boil.

Kyoko winced. For some reason, a dark cloud had passed over her senpai's face; he seemed annoyed and irritable. Kyoko could only conclude that her senpai was still angry about the incident with Kijima-kun, annoyed that her reckless behavior had endangered the reputation of LME and its stars. She fell flat on the floor, apologizing profusely. "I'm so sorry, Tsuruga-san! I didn't mean to... I swear! I'll never land myself in such a terrible situation ever again! I'm sorry for disgracing LME and the President, please, Tsuruga-san, please don't be angry…"

"It's all right, Mogami-san, I'm not angry with you….let's get back on track." He sighed; there was no point in reliving that moment; she didn't even understand _why_ he was angry.

He heaved another deep sigh, and continued, "You seem to have grasped how to express flirting through your way of talking… I guess it is time to move on to the ….._physical_ aspect.." The Emperor smirked, leaning towards her, brushing a strand of hair from her face, "I think you need some …._hands-on training."_

Kyoko's eyes widened, but she couldn't pull away, no matter how much her mind screamed to run, to put some distance between her and this incredibly dangerous man. But no matter how much her brain urged her, she simply _couldn't_ move, frozen to the spot, at the mercy of the huge predator, whose chocolate-brown eyes sparkled with a weird light that both enthralled and terrified her.

Ren saw her freeze, and retreated back to his side of the couch, facing her with a slightly irritated smile. The Emperor receded, leaving behind a rather irate Ren. Though he knew the Emperor scared her, the extreme fear in her eyes upset him. Despite all she said, she was still uncomfortable with him….

Sensing his irritation, Kyoko steeled her nerves. She didn't want to be a disappointment to her senpai. She would be brave and face the Emperor; she would show him that she could do the scene, she was an actress, and she never gave up! "Can we try again, Tsuruga-san?"

Ren smiled. Good, she was getting her fighting spirit back. "Let's get you used to the touching, first." She paled, but nodded, her mouth set, face determined.

He gave her a reassuring smile and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. The Emperor opened them with a lazy smirk, sliding close to her on the sofa, casually putting his arm across her shoulders. To his surprise, she leaned unto him, resting her head on his chest and stretching her mouth into a matching grin.

Emboldened by her response, he ran his hands through her hair, savoring the feel of her soft locks. Kyoko relaxed, scooting even closer towards him, enjoying his soothing touch. "There's no need to be nervous, okay? I won't hurt you, I promise." Ren gave her an encouraging smile, pleased when she returned it with increased confidence. They simply sat there, enjoying each other's company, till Kyoko relaxed enough to lose the stiffness in her limbs. _I could get used to this, Ren thought to himself, a small smile on his face._

After a while, he untangled himself for her, sighing softly, already missing the feel of her in his arms. "We'll run through the scene now." He rearranged his furniture, turning the sofa to face the dining table, which he pulled close to the wall, and said, "The sofas shall be the student's desks; the table will be the teacher's desk. Following the script, Natsu corners the victim near the teacher's table, gradually getting him to retreat towards the blackboard" here he pointed to the wall, "and then provokes him. Finally snapping, Chitose's boyfriend pins Natsu to the teacher's table, moving forward to kiss her; at which time Chitose enters the room and sees them. She bursts into tears and runs away, and he runs behind her, leaving a smirking Natsu on the teacher's desk. There are no prescribed dialogues for the scene, so we have to ad-lib. We'll do the full scene from beginning to end; and if we break character in the middle, we'll stop, and restart." Adopting a stricter tone, he continued, "We'll do this for as long as it takes to get the scene right. I have no doubt you are capable of doing this, but that's only if you overcome your embarrassment. Are you ready?"

Kyoko gave a determined nod "Hai!"

Satisfied with her response, he took his position beside the table, with her following close behind. She closed her eyes, calling out to the spirit of Natsu within her, snapping them wide open when he called out "Action!". A shy, pleasant smile graced his handsome face "You said you wanted to speak to me, Kitagawa-san?"

Natsu smirked. _Weak, foolish, gullible boy._ "Yes, there is something I want us to …_discuss_.Why don't you make yourself comfortable~, Ken-kun?" Smirking even wider, she settled herself on the table elegantly, skirt hitching up to reveal her thighs. She grinned as she followed his eyes roaming over her body. _This is too easy. The poor boy was besotted already._ Pretending to be serious, she continued "It's about Chitose."

"Oh?" Ren struggled to stay in character in face of the seductive girl in front of him. She was _nothing_ like his sweet, innocent Kyoko! The woman in front of him was simply oozing sex appeal, the look in her eyes sensing shivers down his spine; she was dangerous, yet he couldn't help being mesmerized by her.

Grasping back his character, he put on a worried frown. "Is something wrong? She came to school after a long time, looking pale and upset, but she didn't tell me what was wrong. Do you know, Kitagawa-san?"

Natsu giggled. "Oh, it's because we went to the Karaoke Box a while back." Stepping forward, she lightly laid her fingers on his chest. She continued to talk, advancing all the while, with him slowly retreating towards the 'blackboard'. "My girls and I decided to teach her a little lesson….but I'm afraid we were a bit …_harsh._" She smirked, and to his surprise, he found his back against the wall. _When had he reached there? They were beside the table a moment ago._ "We didn't mean to hurt her, but we may have gone a bit too _far_…."

With a start, Ren realized that her fingers were no longer on his chest, they were on his lips. He looked at her fingers, then back at her, eyes wide at the lustful expression on her face. _The female version of the Emperor of the Night_. He might have chuckled at the irony, if they were not in such an intimate and dangerous setting. Returning his disoriented mind to the classroom scene, he frowned, trying to appear serious and angry. "I've heard rumors, Kitagawa-san. Have you been bullying Chitose?"

She giggled, licking her lips in enjoyment, head to one side. "And what if I have?"

He snarled. "Don't come near her again!" Moving forward, he pinned the smirking girl to the table, hands gripping her wrists firmly, not caring whether he hurt her or not. _She was toying with him!_

She paused, considering the threat in his voice. She chuckled; he was trying to intimidate her, but his efforts were just amusing her. _Not enough. This was barely Level three…_

"What if I say no?" she challenged, her smirk widening. He growled, tightening his grip, and moved his face closer to her's. Suddenly, he blinked, realizing his actions. _What was he doing?!_

He began to pull back, but she pulled him towards her. "Whaaat? All bite and no bark?" she drawled. Dammit, she was taunting him! "If you don't stop, I'll punish you." As soon as he said it, he frowned. _Where had that come from?_ "Mmm…that sounds like fun.." she replied, both moving closer to each other without realizing it.

They paused, lips millimeters apart, realizing that the scene had ended without a hitch. Natsu's spirit disappeared, leaving behind a flustered Kyoko, trapped below her senpai in an extremely intimate position. Eager to put a little distance between them, she gave him a shaky grin. "Well, that went well, didn't it?"

Ren was dumbfounded. They finished the scene in one take, no awkwardness at all. Amazed, he wondered if he had been fully in character, or was he being influenced by his feelings for her. He had definitely done many unpredictable things. He frowned, seeing her squirm, clearly uncomfortable with their position.

Though he was relieved she was taking his forwardness calmly, he was also somewhat annoyed. She was twisting him round her finger during the scene, but when it ended, she felt uncomfortable in his personal space! It was hypocrisy! For a moment, he wished she was more like his fans; an irrational desire to make her blush, to fluster her, to make her embarrassed took him over; moving even closer, he licked her ear, and murmured, "Mmm…tasty…maybe I _should_ eat you alive…."

This got a reaction, all right. She shrieked, jumping five feet into the air, "Tsuruga-saaaan! How could you do something like that?" She was bright red, embarrassed and enraged at the same time. He smirked wider.

"YOU STUPID PLAYBOY! WHAT WILL YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL GIRLFRIEND THINK?!"

* * *

**Happy New Year everyone! A big thanks to everyone for reviewing and adding me in favorites. I got a bit stuck, cause I'm no expert on the subject of flirting, and well, it's a very common fanfic topic. I deeply apologize for losing interest, and I have written an extra long chapter to make up. I got sidetracked by getting involved in a couple of Bleach fanfics as well. As part of my New Year resolution to complete this story, I went on a writing spree and finished this chapter. Hope you like it!**

**I know Japanese people use a kotatsu, not a dining table; but I couldn't think of anything else to substitute for a teacher's desk.**

**As you can see, 'Whimper' is reaching its climax. I anticipate finishing this story soon. Already it's grown much longer than I originally planned it. I will be publishing more stories, so please look out for them!**


	7. Chapter 7: My GIRLFRIEND?

**Chapter 7: My GIRLFRIEND?**

**Flashback:**

Though he was relieved she was taking his forwardness calmly, he was also somewhat annoyed. For a moment, he wished she was more like his fans; an irrational desire to make her blush, to fluster her, to make her embarrassed took him over; moving even closer, he licked her ear, and murmured, "Mmm…tasty…maybe I _should_ eat you alive…."

This got a reaction, all right. She shrieked, jumping five feet into the air, "Tsuruga-saaaan! How could you do something like that?" She was bright red, embarrassed and enraged at the same time. He smirked wider.

"YOU STUPID PLAYBOY! WHAT WILL YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL GIRLFRIEND THINK?!"

* * *

Much too late, she realized she had unintentionally blurted out something she shouldn't have. Despite that, she felt a moment of satisfaction. _That wiped the smirk off his face…_

Ren's eyes were wide with shock, his mouth hanging open almost comically. For a moment, he seemed to have lost the ability to speak. His mind simply couldn't process the words she had screamed out._She knew he liked a high-school girl….but she didn't know that the girl was herself? And she said 'girlfriend'!_

The only explanation that made sense was that she had mistaken something Yashiro or the President told her. After all, they knew he liked her, and were forever meddling to get the two of them together…..but he didn't think they would actually have the nerve to disclose his feelings to her! They had obviously done a bad job; she was now confident he was in love with someone else…they were ruining his already extremely slim chances!He was DONE with their interference. They were going to pay with their lives. His face turned murderous. He was going to _kill_ Yashiro…..

Mistaking the death glare to be directed at her, Kyoko paled and shivered. She was in deep trouble now. She had to quickly provide a reasonable explanation; she could only hope the Demon Lord would be began to panic; but no matter what she did, the damage was done; she couldn't take back her words, though she desperately wanted to.

"Erm…actually.." she stammered, fear written all over her face. _How do you tell someone you have been giving them advice for almost a year in the disguise of a giant rooster?_

Ren melted at the sight of his visible apprehension. Really, how could he stay angry with her when she was shaking and quivering with fear? And he wasn't really angry…not with _her_; anyway…his meddling manager and theirlove-obsessed bosswere a totally different matter…..

He simply didn't know what to feel. Once the shock subsided, he was assaulted by a wide range of emotions; first anger, growing into a furious rage, then fear when he wondered how well-informed Kyoko was regarding his love-life (she was already _too_ well-informed for his comfort), then annoyance at whoever had told her, and finally frustration that the_idiot_ wasn't even capable of doing a _proper job_ of revealing his undying love to the oblivious girl. And at the back of it all, an ever-increasing worry; it took him so long to get close to the love-averse Kyoko…would this misinformation ruin the relationship he had worked so hard for?

It just didn't make sense. Yashiro was a _good_ guy; though he sometimes made things worse without intending to, like the unexpected dinners he arranged for the couple; AND was sometimes very annoying, like the time he broke Ren's phone when Ren refused to tell him about the relationship between Kyoko and Fuwa; AND his fan-girl squealing and teasing gave him a headache;…ALRIGHT maybe he was not such a good guy…..but Yashiro was _harmless_. He wouldn't simply drop a bomb by telling her that Ren loved her…would he? But who else could it be? Maybe his manager had enough of the 'small and insignificant progress' and decided to take drastic action to bring the two together…

He sighed, unsure of what to do. He didn't want her thinking he liked someone else. He could tell her that he didn't have a girlfriend….but would she believe him? He wasn't sure…after all, she was convinced he was a flirt and a playboy…she'd think he was simply trying to hide his 'girlfriend' from her. That would be a disaster. She could always see right through him, and lying to her would only push her away…

No, the first step was to find out exactly how much she knew; only then would he know how to respond._What will she do if I tell her that SHE is the high-school girl….._He knew it was a bad idea; but if he intended to confess, now was the right time, wasn't it? He shook his head, surprised at himself for entertaining such optimistic daydreams. She would run away, of course! ...Wouldn't she?

The more Ren lost himself in his pessimistic thoughts, the more his face darkened, and the more frantic Kyoko became. Desperate for an excuse, she attempted a weak grin, and stammered, "Wasn't that a weird thing….for Natsu to say…don't you think, senpai?" It was a poor attempt to pass it all off as acting, and it annoyed Ren.

Frowning, he snapped at her. "Don't insult my intelligence, Mogami-san. I know very well that you were not acting; you were not in character when you said that. Natsu would never have reacted that way. Also, you clearly addressed me as 'Tsuruga-san'. No, you were yourself; and your words were a reference to a relationship you believe _I_ am in, not that of any character. Now, I would very much appreciate if you explained your rather …puzzling statement. I will not say if you are right or wrong, but I am very curious to know how you got such an impression." His voice clearly said that she didn't have a choice in the matter.

Kyoko sighed in despair. She had no option but to tell the truth; the look on his face meant he wouldn't tolerate any lies. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She took a deep breath, and began "Well, you see…actually…" she trailed off, unsure how to explain; her mind shutting down in panic. "Um…it's…a long story…"

Taking pity on the girl, Ren decided to help her. "Did somebody tell you I was interested in a high-school girl, Mogami-san? Yashiro, perhaps?"

Kyoko widened her eyes. He thought Yashiro-san was spilling his secrets! Noooo, she couldn't drag the innocent manager into this! Shaking her head furiously, she replied, "No, no, no, Yashiro-san didn't do anything; please don't be mad at him…. I was the one who deceived you! I thought you wouldn't want my advice of you knew it was _me _in the suit, so I kept it a secret from you! I even swore Moko-san and Sawara-san to secrecy about that role….I promise I didn't tell _anyone_ about you workingin America, or about your love trouble, or anything! I only wanted to help….." she began to wail, confident that he would never speak to her again.

Ren was totally confused. _Not even Yashiro knew he wasn't Japanese….then how did Kyoko find out? Did the President tell her.…but 'love trouble'? High-school girlfriend?.…The only one to whom he had openly admitted his feelings, was the chicken at TBM….did the chicken tell her? But how did they meet? How did the chicken find out that Kyoko was the high-school girl?_

Kyoko's tears washed away all of Ren's anger, leaving behind only remorse for upsetting her. He stroked her head till she stopped crying, hushing her with soft words of comfort. "There there, it's all right; I'm not angry with you….just taken aback, that's all. Please stop crying, Mogami-san"

She sniffled, but stopped crying all the same, slightly calmer, looking up at him with wide eyes. He gave her a reassuring smile. "Come now, Mogami-san, sit here. I'm afraid I don't really understand…. what makes you think I've been to America? And what do you mean by 'advice' and 'love trouble'?"

Kyoko took a deep breath, closing her eyes. Though she was worried about his reaction, she was also relieved that she could finally tell him the truth. She didn't like keeping secrets from him. She opened her eyes with grim determination, and replied "Tsuruga-san, I never told you, but I have a regular job at TBM. I am a mascot for a variety show called 'Bridge Rock'. I play the role of Bo the Rooster.I've the one who helped you with the 'tentakomai' incident, and your problems with your high-school girlfriend….I'm sorry for deceiving you, senpai; but I was just really happy I could help you, and I knew you wouldn't accept my assistance if you knew it was me, so I hid the truth from you….. Please accept my sincere apologies; I understand if you never want to speak to me ever again…." Tears pooled at the corners of her eyes.

For a few minutes, the apartment was enveloped in a deathly silence. Her words went round and round in Ren's head; but it was simply too much to absorb.

"You- You- You're the chicken?" The statement came out more as a question; Ren still couldn't believe his ears.

Kyoko nodded; eyes downcast. She heaved a small sigh. Peeking at Ren out of the corner of her eyes, she tried to gauge his reaction. Dismal as her situation was, Kyoko could not help a small smile at the hilarity of his reaction. What would the fans do if their saw the cool, handsome Tsuruga Ren stammering, his eyes wide in shock and consternation, lips trying soundlessly to form words, flapping open and shut like a fish?

Her words finally sunk in. "You- You- YOU- You're the chicken! The giant chicken from TBM! It's been _you_ all along?" Ren stuttered, fairly squawking, no longer the cool and dignified celebrity, his public façade shattered by this unpredictable revelation.

"Technically, I'm a rooster….haha..." Kyoko replied with an awkward grin, trying to lighten the dark and tense atmosphere. But Ren didn't hear a word.

Ren felt like he was being run over by a truck. A huge five-ton truck full of cement. Coming at him with the speed of a bullet-train. He was lucky to be sitting down; otherwise he might have fallen to the floor in shock. The things he had told to the chicken! And the advice the chicken given him!_Seduce her indeed….if only she knew she had been talking about herself…_ she should have realized by now, shouldn't she? After all, the incident at his apartment happened so soon after her 'advice'….but then again, he was dealing with_Kyoko_; and _normal _standards of reason and logic were quite inapplicableto her. Still, he was quite surprised that _she_ of all people would give such forward advice, since she was the epitome of Japanese modesty….

Unbelievable. He would never have imagined that she could keep such a huge thing a secret for so long! So much for being a bad liar….Kyoko's skills as an actress had improved tremendously. He allowed himself a tiny moment of pride before he returned to pondering his awkward predicament.

Calming down, he smiled and said in a soft voice, trying his best to disguise his nervousness, "Thank you for everything, Mogami-san; you've really helped me a lot. I'm not angry that you kept this a secret, I am simply …surprised." _More like, shocked out of my wits._ "I could never have imagined that the person in the costume was actually you…. You're right. I probably would not have asked for advice if I knew it was Mogami-san….not that I don't trust you, not at all! Just because…well, it would be… extremely… awkward…." _How could I possibly talk about love troubles with the object of my affections?_

Kyoko giggled at his shaky response. The great Tsuruga Ren was at a loss for words! She was lucky to witness such an event….truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Ren frowned at her amusement, and decided to tease her a little. Leaning towards her, he continued "However, out of everyone I know, I would never have expected _YOU_ to egg me into committing _scandalous_ and potentially _illegal_ acts, Mogami-san…_perhaps you are not as modest and reserved as you claim to be?_" He smirked widely, pausing as she turned red in embarrassment. "Calling me a playboy is a bit too harsh, don't you think? Seeing as you were actually _encouraging_ such behavior during my Katsuki slump…"

Kyoko huffed in anger. "Tsuruga-san, that is too much! For your information, I have always conducted myself in the most proper manner, and have never engaged in immodest behavior….except when required to do so as part of my job…" A slight blush tinged her cheeks; Ren guessed she was thinking back to the role of the scantily dressed, rocker-punk, brother-complex Setsuka Heel. _That was plenty immodest…he mused, though he hadn't minded the skimpy dresses in the slightest…_. "You are being totally unfair; I was doing my best to help you…. I simply recommended the best course of action for a person of _your_ age, appearance and experience…it had no relation to MY behavior! You accuse _me_ of shamelessness…..I resent your insinuations very much, Tsuruga-san….we are totally different! I value my personal space and respect others' privacy, whereas you-… you are-… just now you-…you- you _licked_ my ear! Don't deny it….it was so _indecent_ of you! Why ON EARTH did you do such a thing?"

Ah, all too soon, in the midst of the casual banter, they had reached the crux of the matter. This was, without a doubt, the point of no return. He could admit that he had impulsively acted on his feelings for her, confessing that she was the high-school girl….or he could just laugh it out, creating an indelible stain in her already rock-bottom opinion of him, and be forever labeled a shameless playboy. In fact, after the flirting incident, he considered himself lucky she hadn't changed the 'playboy' to '_pervert' _(Small consolation). To Kyoko, licking the ear might even be taken as sexual harassment. Really, it wasn't much of achoice.

Taking a deep breath, he looked her square in the eye, and said, "I did it because I love you, Kyoko."

Kyoko's jaw dropped, mouth hanging wide open in shock...

* * *

**Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing! I am amazed by the number of reviews and favorites; much more than my other story…. I really appreciate it! You guys are the best!**

**A full week….that's the longest I spent on a chapter, but hey, things were busy. This chapter took a bit of time, I wasn't sure how the 'Bo revelation' should go…promise the next chapter will be faster! Next up: Ren's confession!**

**I got involved in reading a few fanfics; leaving me no time for writing…oh, well… can't do both together!**


	8. Chapter 8: The High-School Girl

**Chapter 8: The High-school Girl**

**Flashback:**

All too soon, in the midst of the casual banter, they had reached the crux of the matter. He could admit that he had impulsively acted on his feelings for her, confessing that she was the high-school girl….or he could just laugh it out, creating an indelible stain in her already rock-bottom opinion of him. Really, it wasn't much of a choice.

Taking a deep breath, he looked her square in the eye, and said, "I did it because I love you, Kyoko."

Kyoko's jaw dropped, mouth hanging wide open in shock...

It was Kyoko's turn to be speechless. He loves me? He _loves_ me? Why would Japan's Number One actor fall in love with a girl like _her_? And what about the high-school girl?

**[A/N: Kyoko can be pretty oblivious in love-related matters (as shown by her talks with Reino), and she still hasn't fully grasped that Ren sees her romantically; hence she doesn't realize that **_**she**_** is the high-school girl]**

No no, he was just joking….it was simply his way of teasing her for nosing into his love-life. What a twisted sense of humor! After all, it was impossible that Japan's Number One actor could actually have feelings for a newbie seventeen-year-old like her…right? Really, how could he say such things? Anybody else might have believed he was serious… stupid playboy!

She glanced towards him, hoping for the twinkling eyes, the slight upward turn of his mouth that indicated he was holding in his laughter. No such luck. His face was impassive, but she could clearly see the sincerity in his eyes. She sensed a strange nervousness, an unusual urgency in his outwardly composed demeanor; she realized he was anxiously awaiting her response. The laugh and scolding which she was planning died in her throat; they seemed almost _insulting_ in light of his seriousness.

She shook her head. Really, the nerve of her! She had begun to actually _believe_ his tasteless joke! He was an actor; so naturally it was easy for him to pretend sincerity….she shouldn't take his words to heart... But his simple statement had set her heart pounding, blood roaring into her ears, filling her body with warmth and making her fingertips tingle. She realized with a start that she _wanted_ to believe him, wanted her deeply denied feelings to be reciprocated, to bask in his affection and care. _How pathetic she had become….._

Try as she might, she simply couldn't brush his joke off as she usually did whenever he bullied her. She could barely _talk_, let alone scold him for his indecency. Laughing at this moment was out of the question, it seemed almost a mockery; though what other option did she have? Maybe if she pretended to be amused, they could move on to other topics and this awkwardness would dissipate. _It's just a poor joke in an effort to avoid the topic…. don't think too much about it, just calm down, and think rationally….._She couldn't let him see how much his words affected her…..

Pining after someone as out-of-reach as Tsuruga-san; outrageous! Best to get this foolishness over with as soon as possible, stamp out the unwanted emotions before they grew further… if she fell for him, she would never recover….No! She wouldn't succumb to the disease of love! She would be strong against the calamity of the heart that was Tsuruga Ren!*****

She sighed. "Really senpai, you shouldn't say such things. People who don't know you well might actually believe you."

"And you don't? Do you really think I'm lying? Do you believe I'd joke about something as important as this?"

Ren's voice was quiet, but there was an edge to his words which made Kyoko flinch. He had been prepared for rejection, mentally braced for her saying a relationship with him was '_impossible'_ and '_foolish'_ and _'inappropriate'_, anticipated her excuses – her age, his reputation, their fans - innocent well-meaning words stabbing his gut and breaking his heart. But this casual disregard, her refusal to even _acknowledge_ his feelings, hurt him far more than any simple rejection. He was baring his heart to her, and she was _reprimanding_ him?

In a firmer voice, he continued, "I'm serious. I love you, Kyoko and I mean it. You can tell I'm speaking the truth. I think you are smart, cheerful, funny, a very talented actress and an amazing, wonderful person." He purposely avoided he honorifics, reminders of their senpai-kouhai status. He trapped her eyes in his, urging her to see the heartfelt emotions in their depths. What could he do to convince her, show her the how much he cared, how important she was to him? Show how much he wanted to simply hold her in his arms, do everything it took to keep that brilliant smile on her face forever?

In the face of such a heart-felt admission, Kyoko could not help but accept the sincerity of his words. _He really did care_….but could she let herself love again? Return his feelings, and give her heart to him?

No, love only brought hurt, and sadness, and loneliness. He might love her now, but he would surely change his mind later, carried away by some charming co-star with a beautiful body; and what would she do then? Her heart had already been broken once; it would not survive a second assault. Hidden safely in a box, sealed with innumerable locks and guarded by an armor of grudge demons; her heart was fragile as glass, much too delicate to be entrusted to another.

Her rational brain screamed to end things here, explain to him that she could never return his feelings, that she was incapable of love, that his time was better spent on someone else….but a small voice deep inside the forbidden box said otherwise; reveling in the knowledge that the man she admired, her _prince_, her important person felt the same way about her. Torn between joy and despair, she opted to be neutral and say nothing. _Maybe it's just a dream…that must be it! After all, Ren caring for her was impossible….._her face fell, and she hunched her shoulders, deflated.

Ren searched her face for a reaction, but was disappointed to find her trembling, white as a ghost, hands clenched tightly on her lap. Nevertheless, he ploughed on, "You-.. I-… you are very important to me. I love you, Kyoko. I've loved you for a long time now… I didn't tell you because I knew you were still hurting from Sho's betrayal, and you weren't ready for love just yet….. I intended to wait for you, hoping that when you were ready to move on, perhaps you'd think of me, at least as friends, and hopefully something more….but things didn't go as planned, did it?" He chuckled weakly. "I actually confessed to you so long back without even realizing it! Quite a comedic situation, isn't it?"

"Eh?" As soon as the confused exclamation left her lips she felt like hitting her head at her stupidity. He was talking about the conversation with Bo, of course! But that means….."I am the high-school girl?!"_ He liked me from so long ago…._

Ren gave a sheepish nod. "I never meant to give you a bully impression; or to frighten you…it's just that, sometimes, I ….lose control when I'm with you, and do something rash…. I never meant you any harm or disrespect, I assure you. I apologize for all the incidents where I made you worry, and all the fear my temper caused you; …..I behaved that way simply because of anger. Frustration at myself, for my cowardice to express my feelings; anger at Sho, for hurting you, and for repeatedly coming back and haunting you, filling your mind with hate, hindering you from moving on…..and flaunting the fact the _he_ will always be foremost in your heart…"

The pain in his voice was obvious._ He had felt so much, had bottled it all, watched over me from afar, guided and looked out for me, asking for nothing in return…._Realizing the direction her thoughts were taking, Kyoko latched onto her memories of his outbursts, and how upset she had been; trying desperately to ignore the concern and possessiveness she now knew lied behind his actions.

While Kyoko was desperately trying to rein in her rampant emotions, Ren was calming down, when he was struck with a sudden realization: she knew of his feelings, but was not running away like he predicted. She was still sitting with him, a bit pale and quiet, certainly, but with him nonetheless. He heart sped in the awareness that THIS was his chance, his single golden opportunity to have a life with the girl of his dreams.

However, mulling over his other words had steered Kyoko's mind to a certain 'rash' incident. "If I am the high-school girl….then, when practicing Katsuki…were you not acting?"

Ren was relieved to finally get a response from the corpse-like Kyoko. But his relief was short-lived when he processed her query._ Of all things, she HAD to ask THAT question!_

His silence was the only response she needed. "You weren't acting, were you? You were serious! You really were going to kiss me! How could you take advantage of me like that?! I trusted you implicitly, yet you used my concern for your acting to corner me in your apartment and-"

"I believe it was _you _who gave me an open invitation to _seduce _you, so you really cannot find fault with _my_ behavior, I was simply acting on YOUR advice… In fact, I think I deserve to be praised for my admirable self-restraint! I did not kiss you, no matter how much I wanted to. I behaved like a gentleman, and stopped myself from doing anything inappropriate, sticking to the practice and acting just as Katsuki would have."

Ren was growing angrier by the minute. _He was holding back, yet she was accusing him?_

He continued in a louder voice, "In fact, it was _your_ fault! Forcing entry despite me chasing you out, insisting on staying and cooking, and naively admitting to a lack of kissing experience! Any man would take advantage of a girl in such a position, especially if it's the girl they love; but I held back, I protected you from myself…..you should be thanking me."

"You didn't know it was ME who gave you that stupid advice!" she retaliated in fury, jumping to her feet in righteous indignation. "And stop trying to push the blame unto _me_. YOU were the one who refused to budge when you fell on top of me! YOU stroked my cheek, and ran your finger across my lips! YOU asked me if you should teach me how to kiss!" Forcing down deep breaths in an effort to calm down, she continued, "…..There is no reason to argue anyway…. Nothing happened, and you figured out how to portray Katsuki in the process. So, all's well that ends well."

"Does that mean you forgive me?"

She glared at him, mental turmoil temporarily shelved due to her outrage over his casual override of the limits of modesty and decency. After a full minute of Mio's silent death warning, she shrugged and broke eye contact, flopping back unto the sofa. She huffed in annoyance, "I suppose I forgive you….but that doesn't mean I approve of your playboy ways. It's really immodest; you should be careful, otherwise your public image will be stained…."

"Contrary to what you believe, I don't behave so casually around everyone." Ren snapped, irritated. He sighed, took a deep breath, and in a calmer voice, continued "I told you, I sometimes act without thinking when I'm around you…..To be honest, you're the only one who has witnessed my 'playboy' ways, as you call them."

She nodded. Now that he mentioned it, she had never seen him behave that way with anyone else. And the Emperor came out only when the two of them were alone. _Speaking of the devil…_

The Emperor had made a temporary retreat, in face of the seriousness of the conversation. But with the tension and heaviness of the confession gone, the Emperor was back in full force. Ren felt much lighter after unburdening the feelings he had been hiding for so long, and was thrilled to longer hide behind excuses when it came to touching Kyoko.

Leaning towards her, arm spread across the sofa around her shoulders, he whispered with a devious smile, "And with regard to your accusation of…what was it? Ah, yes... _taking advantage of you…_ I think it's rather unfair of you to feign ignorance…. After all, you _knew_ I wanted to eat you alive, yet you did nothing to push me away…._perhaps you actually wanted it?_ If so, I would be happy to oblige…._"_

Kyoko's jaw dropped. He had completely turned the tables on her! Edging backwards on the couch, she held her hands in front of her in a futile effort to keep the Emperor at bay. But she had failed to consider the arm resting on the sofa. The moment she attempted to put distance between them, the arm pulled her closer till she was almost on his lap. Running his free hand through her hair, he whispered into her ear, "And since you declared yourself as my girlfriend…_there should be no problem in licking my girlfriend's ear, is there?_"

Kyoko's brain temporarily short-circuited due to the pheromone overload. When she was finally able to think coherently again, she remembered their last conversation when she was in the chicken suit. "You said you can't have an important person, not just in the acting world but anywhere. Do you still believe that?"

Recognizing the seriousness in her voice, he retreated to his side of the sofa, still keeping an arm around her. He managed a weak smile, and then chuckled wryly. "I still believe that I do not deserve a happy life, yet I cannot help wishing for it…. it is part of human nature to keep fighting, to persevere, to never give up in the pursuit of their dreams, always longing for happiness... And for me, happiness is you."

He was rewarded with a sweet blush on Kyoko's face. Mind running on overdrive, she cautiously questioned, "What happened in your life that made you think you don't deserve happiness?"

Ren chewed his lip, wringing his hands together. For the famous actor, this was an unusual display of nervousness. Even during his failures in portraying Katsuki, he had never displayed such tension.

Kyoko's eyes softened, understanding how hard it was for him to talk about his past trauma, yet she had to know, to help him, to ease his burden as much as she could. She grasped his clenched hands tightly in her own, trying to provide warmth and support through the simple touch. "About that, it is related to the nightmares you suffered when you were Cain Heel, yes?"

A nod was his only response. Voicing out her conclusions during their time as the Heel Siblings, she asked "Did someone die, and were you blamed for it?"

***This is a reference 'Earthquake Thunder Fire Tsuruga'**

**Italics are used both for thoughts as well as for emphasis. Please drop me a line if you find it confusing.**

**I just realized that it took me a full week to get this chapter done. Thanks for your patience, everyone! Your reward is an extra-long chapter! I was in a hurry to post this, so there may be grammatical errors….**

**I love cliffhangers; it's the part I write first in each chapter! Honestly, 'Whimper' was supposed to end with Chapter 4, so all this was unplanned. Only the sudden inspiration: 'WHAT WILL YOUR HIGH-SCHOOL GIRLFRIEND THINK?' made 'Whimper' this long. So this Chapter doesn't have a punchy cliffhanger. Sorry folks!**

**Thanks everyone for reading! I'm always checking eagerly for reviews; just drop me a line if you think my story is good, it means a lot to me.**

**P.S. Do you guys like long A/Ns, or should I cut it down next time?**


	9. Chapter 9: Painful Memories

**Chapter 9: Painful Memories**

**Flashback:**

Voicing out her conclusions during their time as the Heel Siblings, Kyoko asked "Did someone die, and were you blamed for it?"

* * *

Kyoko waited anxiously as she watched the shifting expressions on Ren's face; first shock, followed by hesitation, changing to worry, then a deep sorrow, finally giving way to pain; a heartbreakingly tortured expression that made Kyoko look away, lest she start crying.

Ren paled and clutched the watch on his hand, a reminder of the tragic past. He had been taken aback when she hadn't questioned his behavior during the Heel Siblings act, but he had presumed it stemmed from his reluctance to discuss the matter. It was natural for her to form theories based on his actions, but he had never realized she was this close to the truth…maybe he had underestimated her because of her oblivious and sometimes charmingly naïve behavior. _Now what?_ He wondered, mentally weighing his options.

_A Do-or-die situation_. An innocent flirting lesson (okay, maybe not so innocent) had turned into an evening of mind-blowing revelations, of her identity as Bo, and his confession of love; and now was treading into very dangerous territory. He had kept his true identity a secret from the world for five long years, not even contacting his parents until his father begged him. Was he ready to embrace the past, to accept Rick's death, to reclaim his true name and the violent history attached to it?

Also, there was their brief friendship in Kyoto. How could he tell her that her beloved Fairy Prince was not a fairy at all, but a cruel, violent murderer? Would she accept him as her friend from the past, or will she be disgusted by the monster he had become? No, Kyoko would never shun him because of his past mistakes. Her golden heart saw the best in everybody, and she would become the beacon of light to drag him out of darkness….

And there was the _small issue _(note the sarcasm) of his confession and her feelings. She was not screaming and running away, which, when he thought about it, was actually nothing short of a miracle. But even if she was okay now (Ren assumed her composed behavior was the outcome of shock) what would she do when she knew the truth about her 'Corn'?

He could tell her, or rather, he _should_ tell her. The fact that they were friends before may encourage her to see him as more than a senpai. They were very close in the past, and he knew from her outbursts she often thought about him, so she might be more willing to embrace love if it came from 'Corn' rather than 'Tsuruga Ren'. After all, he thought she would run away if she knew how he felt about her, yet she was still here, wasn't she? Maybe she would take this revelation in a calm manner as well. Taking a deep breath, he began to narrate his story.

"As you have already guessed, I was born and raised in America. My parents were famous, my father an actor and mother a model…actually they are still very famous…" he trailed off, sudden nerves making him digress in a pathetic attempt to evade the topic. _Suddenly this seems like a bad idea. Mission abort!_ his mind screamed.

Mentally berating himself for his negative thoughts, he shook his head to get back on track, and continued, "My lineage made things….._difficult_ for me when I entered the entertainment industry. Directors had high expectations, demanding an acting skill no child of my age could possibly possess, and so I was often fired…. My peers were jealous of the attention I received due to my parents, and I was often the victim of bullying. They called me a freak due to my mixed bloodline…" He grimaced, recalling painful memories.

"I held my peace, knowing that if I complained, my parents would be accused of using their influence to further my career, and our family would face a lot of negative publicity. I kept quiet, never retaliated, no matter how angry I was. I thought that if I didn't react, they would get bored of me and find someone else to bully. But it only enraged them, and they began to collect in gangs to beat me up."Sensing his mood, Kyoko held his hands in hers, fingers ghosting across the faint scars on his knuckles, proof of his past.

"At first, I held back, spent a lot of time at home to avoid the bullies, and ran away whenever I saw them. Day by day I grew angrier, more frustrated…but my father and martial arts teacher said that I should never use my skills for fighting….so I didn't do anything."

A frown marred his face, his hands tightened around hers. "I had a close friend called Rick, he was almost an elder brother to me….since my parents were usually busy, I spent a lot of time with him. I could go to him for advice on the things I couldn't discuss with my parents…" He chuckled, a small reminiscent laugh. "The Omu-rice was originally something he forced me to do, you know; ….he believed it would make me braver, though I bet he never imagined it would have such a horrendous taste."

"Maui" Kyoko agreed; glad to find a bit of cheer in his morose expression. Ren gave her a small smile, a true one, unlike the gentlemanly smile he flashed for the cameras. She smiled back, squeezing his fingers lightly, encouraging him to go on. His happiness faded as he continued his story.

"Rick, he…he urged me to stand up to the people making my life miserable, to show them that I wasn't weak, just scare them a little so that they stayed away…... Taking his advice, I-... I fought back, hurting all those who dared insult me. And so they gave me a new name, called me a monster…"

Ren's voice was now so soft she could barely hear him. "I was wild and uncontrollable, and things steadily became worse. In one such brawl, Rick intervened, he tried to stop me from killing one of my victims. He was chasing after me, when he-… he was run over by a car."She gasped. Speaking faster, almost feverishly, he continued, "There was blood everywhere, all the blood was draining from Rick's body….Tina, his girlfriend, …she was holding him, cradling his head, crying…" A tear streaked down his face unnoticed. His eyes were far away, lost deep in his memories. "She said it was my fault, that Rick would have been alive if he hadn't met me…that I am a murderer…."

"**She's wrong!** His death was not your fault! What and unreasonable and cruel thing to say, you are not to blame at all! After all, you could not have seen the car-"

Ren zoned out, no longer listening as Kyoko jumped up in passionate defense, outraged at the injustice of Tina's accusation. It didn't matter if he was a murderer, was unfit to live; just the fact that _Kyoko _said he was not at fault, that she was actually _supporting _him, it was enough. What did it matter what Tina or anybody else thought, if his beloved angel believed he was not to blame?

He basked in the warmth of her indignant and empathetic voice, allowing a tiny smile to cross his features. Really, what a love-struck fool he was. The amazing girl next to him was all he needed to send warmth coursing through his veins, heating up his entire body and washing away five long and painful years of guilt and despair.

Interrupting her tirade, he wrapped his arms around her in a bone-cracking hug, tears streaming down his face and into her hair. "Thank you, Kyoko, thank you so much" he whispered into her ear, shaking from joy and relief. She smiled softly, stroking his back till the sobs subsided. He pulled away with a watery smile, not noticing her surreptitiously wiping away her own tears. "I don't want you blaming yourself for Rick ever again, you hear me?" she scolded, pulling him back to the sofa. "It wasn't your fault. In fact, it was brave of you to leave everything behind and start over… if it makes any difference, I am proud of you." He nodded, giving her a grateful smile. "Thank you Kyoko, it does make me feel better..."

Ren was feeling oddly light-headed. He had never recounted that night to anyone, not even his parents, preferring to leave the explanations to others. It felt strange, but also exhilarating. He had been running away from it for so long, that talking about the incident filled him with a mysterious strength, a newfound courage. Admitting his mistakes gave him freedom from the past, making him giddy with relief.

Ren sneaked a peek at Kyoko, who was lost in thought. _She really is my good-luck charm. She's helped me face my problems head-on, rather than exile myself to a life of unhappiness. Who knew that just telling her everything could make him feel so much better?_

He steeled himself, a spark of determination in his eyes, focused on completing his narration. It was the least he could do to repay her trust in him. _There was one more secret to tell._ "Actually, we have met before, when I was younger. I know you remember, though I believe I left you with several misconceptions...unintentionally, of course. My family went to Kyoto for a vacation around ten years ago…. We met at the magic forest, near the stream…we exchanged stories and searched for scrambled-egg-rocks…."

Kyoko's brow furrowed, face scrunched up in confusion. Suddenly, realization struck. Her eyes grew impossibly wide, before a hushed whisper of "Corn?"

He smiled and nodded. "Kyoko-chan, it's not 'Corn', its _Kuon_." He chuckled, kneeling in front of her and kissing his hand lightly, the epitome of princely charm. "Allow me to reintroduce myself. It's nice to meet you, Kyoko-chan, my name is Kuon Hizuri."

Absolute silence followed his statement, to the point where it was eerily quiet, like the calm before the storm. Then Kyoko blinked, once, twice, before repeating the name in a dazed voice. "Kuon. _Kuon Hizuri._ Otou-san's Kuon." With each repetition she grew more frantic, practically yelling, "YOU KUON HIZURI! You are Otou-san's son! I was actually thinking of you… I mean 'Corn', when I was acting Kuon…no wonder Otou-san was so surprised, I was imitating his son without realizing it! And I knew you when you were ten, so that's why both Sensei and the President said I was acting like the ten year old Kuon! Ah, I'm so sorry it was so rude of me to try to replicate your way of speaking and dressing..."

"I'm not angry, quite the contrary. I was very impressed by your act of me; it was excellent, so realistic even I was taken aback." He chuckled. "I didn't realize you missed me quite so much." Ignoring her blush, he continued in a more serious tone, "It was wrong of me to leave you with no means of contacting me…. However, I never imagined we would meet again, and in the entertainment industry no less."

"You were my only friend" she explained. "I was really sad when you left…but your secrecy was important. I understand, though…" Realizing something else, she enquired hesitantly, "So….you are not a fairy?"

_Uh oh._ "No, Kyoko, I am not. I simply went along with the charade because it made you happy." He eyed her nervously, waiting for her response. It seemed reasonable to expect her to throw a tantrum, however her only reaction was to deflate a little and give a grudging nod.

"You certainly cheered me up. In the fairytales, it is always the fairy who comes to help the human in trouble, like the fairy godmother dressed Cinderella for the ball, and Corn gave me a magic stone….." Eyes widening, she suddenly asked, "Then, the Corn stone….it is not magic?"

He could only respond with a sheepish smile. "No matter, it really boils down to faith. After all, when you _believe_ that something is magic, that a stone can absorb sadness; then it _will_. That's the power of the human subconscious." she explained in a serious voice, also as if repeating an important lesson. "I believed that the Corn stone was magic, and so my mind cheered me up, as did your memories….almost as if I performed magic myself!" Her sparkly eyes and flushed cheeks indicated that she had momentarily gone back to the Magic kingdom.

Both fell silent as they pondered over the many revelations of the day. Kyoko seemed to have endless questions, but Ren was happy to entertain her. He was willing to do anything to stretch what may well be his last cordial time with the object of his affections. Kyoko seemed to have temporarily forgotten his confession in light of the recent information overload, but it hung like a sword over Ren's head. Slowly but surely they would come back to THAT topic; and only god knows what she would do. He knew very well just how important she was, how crucial for his sanity, how necessary she was, the only sunshine in his weary day-by-day existence. Gloomily, he resigned himself to a life without her.

Kyoko was not done with picking his brain, it seemed. "While helping me with Natsu, you said you were teaching me the techniques of the most beautiful model in the world. Were you talking about your mother?"

He nodded, and she could see the pride shining in his eyes. He loved his parents, though their fame had brought him so much trouble. And her time as Kuon convinced her that his parents loved him just as much. She chuckled mentally as she recalled Kuu's oya-baka tendencies.

She had learnt so many things today. A secret behind her senpai much larger that she had ever imagined. Most importantly, she had found out what happened to her beloved Fairy prince. She had been so worried ever since the confrontation with the Beagle…. How had all this come about? Ah yes, because she asked him why he didn't deserve happiness. Because he confessed to her…. Wait a minute, he confessed to her! He CONFESSED to _her_! He said he loved her! _How could she have forgotten?!_

"Do you really…um…you know…" she began awkwardly, and Ren knew she was talking about his spur-of-the-moment confession. "Yes, I love you. I love you very, very much."

"Are you sure?" she enquired, eyebrow raised skeptically.

"Absolutely. I am a hundred percent sure. Ironically, _you_ are the one who helped me realize my feelings for you."

"Me? …Ah, you mean giving you advice as the chicken. I see..." she chewed her lip, lost in thought; oblivious to the tension her vague response was causing. Ren was sweating buckets. _I see? I see? What kind of response is 'I see'? Is it a good or bad sign? What do I do now?_ Frazzled, he opted to stay silent, waiting for her to snap out of her reverie.

Abruptly, she turned to him, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "You're not joking, are you? This had better not be some new bullying tactic, or some big April-fool-thing… Have you been eating any strange food or taking special pills lately? Something that addled your brain, perhaps?" Ren glared at her, but she pressed on regardless. "Did you hit your head while performing a dangerous stunt? Are you experiencing any signs of sickness? Headache, vomiting, memory loss, hallucinations-"

"Nothing of that sort." Ren snapped, tilting her chin to face him. Looking her square in the eye, he repeated "I'm serious, I mean it Kyoko. You're the only one in my heart, my special person, my good luck charm, and I will do _anything_ for you, anything to make you happy..."

Kyoko sighed. He was speaking from his heart. Oh well, she had to ask. She often misinterpreted things, so she had to confirm she had understood him properly. After all, no one had ever confessed to her, in all her seventeen years of life. "It's all right, I believe you, Kuon…. I believe you."

Ren groaned mentally. _Another non-committal response! Was she doing this on purpose, drawing things out due to the awkwardness of rejection, or maybe just to make him uncomfortable? _He shook his head. Now was not the time to get annoyed. He had to be careful. One slip up could end his chances with her.

Kyoko's mind was working mile-a-minute. _Maybe falling in love would not be so bad if it happened with someone who loved her back._ It couldn't hurt to give it a try, surely? She took his hands in hers once more, a little shy. He would take care of her, watch out for her, just as he had for the past year, like he had cheered her up ten years ago….

She looked up at him; his anxious face was framed by brown hair she now knew was dyed. Taking a strand between her fingers, admiring its silkiness, she murmured, "I like your original hair color much better…"

_Is this a stalling tactic? How long is she going to stall till the ultimate rejection?_

Shaking his head, Ren replied, "I can dye it back if you like."

_He was willing to do anything for her, indulge in her every passing fancy…_ such devotion. She was truly blessed to be held dear by such a person. He had always been there for her; when she struggled with Mio, when she was scared out of her wits in Karuizawa, he had always, _always_ kept a watchful eye out for her. Who was the one who tolerated her odd-hour visits? Who was the one she relied on when she was in trouble?

They knew each other as children, and had still found each other, despite all the trials that life threw at them. He had suffered so much more than her, yet had remained resolute in his dreams. If he was so dedicated, surely he would love her with all his heart, wouldn't he? Ironic that the boy she had called 'Fairy Prince' had indeed become her prince; even though at that time, she had set her heart on another…. Perhaps it was fate?

Making a split-second decision, she followed her heart instead of her logical brain. "Alright, you will help me to regain the important emotion of LOVE!" she declared, raising a fist in the air with vigor. Ren blinked at the sudden change in demeanor. _Well, this is unexpected._ But nothing was ever normal when it came to Kyoko. He supposed it was one of the things he loved about her.

_Wait…regain love? Isn't that like 'yes, I agree to a relationship with you'?_

Before his could voice his questions, she began to stammer "I think I am very lucky…to be cherished so much…by you…Thank you, senpai….no, thank you Kuon, thank you for caring (she didn't want to use the L-word too much, in case it became a jinx)…thank you for everything…" Finally, she smiled a beautiful smile, looking up at him, meeting his pleading eyes with her warm, affectionate ones.

Ren blinked. She was accepting his love. She was willing to entertain his feelings, hell she was even promising to try loving him back! It was a dream come true. Now all he had to do was show her how grateful he was for this chance. He knew how she felt about love, so he knew it was a big leap of faith for her. He must be careful so as not to frighten her away. First, he had to regain her trust. The best thing for now would be to back off a little, to compliment her with nice words, respecting her personal space and giving her a bit of confidence in her decision. He had to take it slow, she was fickle and delicate, and responded unfavorably to displays of affection. Maybe he could start by giving her little gifts, and then ask her out on dates, and then…

"Can I kiss you?" C_urse his mouth for skipping all the important steps in the middle! So much for respecting personal space…_

She frowned, seriously considering the question (much to Ren's surprise), then replied with a small smile, "Fine, but no licking my ear, okay?"

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**I planned to publish this on the 19****th****. Celebrating one month of Whimper! It's been so long…. Extra-long chapter as a reward for sticking with me for a whole month! You are all wonderful people, thanks so much for your reviews and favorites…..One whole month, 100+ follows, 9k+ views, 70+ reviews, 50+ favorites, mind-blowing!**

**A special mention to alitablake, , kitkatketi, Daredevil fangirl, JapaneseAnimeChic and last but not least Lineve for their wonderful and prompt reviews! (I'm the impatient type, so I really appreciate when I get lots of responses, and I pay special attention to multiple reviews from the same person…..) wins the prize for the first review and the fastest review! Also, I'm really grateful and amazed that you left a review for **_**each**_** chapter! JapaneseAnimeChic also left reviews for almost every chapter. Definitely appreciate it!**

**Don't worry, this isn't a goodbye note, I will publish one more chapter in 'Whimper'…and anyway I will immediately begin on my next story.**

**I apologize for Kyoko's OOC behavior; it's really difficult to predict how she would react to a confession. It was really rude of her to ask "Are you sure?"…. I just winged it! Only Nakamura-sensei can come up with the perfect reaction!**

**I called Kuon as Ren through the whole story, for uniformity. I was not sure how I wanted this to go….and I was a bit stuck as to how to continue. Does Ren admit to being Corn, or not? I decided he would….let everything out in the open, that's the way I like it! I opted for a direct approach to the truth, instead of the 'let me tell you a story about a boy…' thing. In retrospect, maybe the other way would have been easier to write, and maybe more interesting, coz this came out kinda drab for a confession.**

**The past bit is really just a copy from all the other stories that I read; there's nothing new or original in it. You see, I don't like depressing stuff, so I decided to spend very little time recounting the past. Sorry it's a bit dull and lacking in detail.**

**I know this is not romantic or sugary-sweet; I usually don't have patience for that sort of stuff. Lovey-dovey-ness isn't my strong point, it makes me puke. The 'going on dates, giving gifts, throwing compliments' etc. etc. bore me, I find them dull and insignificant. Sigh, I'm such a goody-goody little bookworm, aren't I?**

**I'm really sorry guys, but I've LOST INTEREST in 'Whimper'…..so I'm going to wrap it up with another chapter, an epilogue of sorts….. A nice round 10 chapters is not bad for a second fanfiction, right?! I've realized I haven't developed the patience for writing long stories yet…..hopefully it will come with experience…next story will be shorter and hopefully better! (I'm planning a one-shot; I promise to give more details in the next author's note!)**

**Phew! This was a long A/N! See you later, folks!  
**


	10. Chapter 10: Epilogue

**I think Kyoko's behavior from the previous chapter deserves some explanation. I was tired and bored, so I left that part a little short. Kyoko repeatedly confirms Ren's feelings, even going so far as to question his mental health; because she simply cannot believe he loves her. She agrees to a relationship with him, because she cares a lot about him (she won't admit its love). However, she is afraid to completely immerse herself in the emotion that caused her so much pain before; hence she says she will 'try' to love him back, attempt to overcome her fear of rejection.**

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**Chapter 10: Epilogue**

Ren stood at the side of the Bridge Rock set, hiding in the shadows while he watched his beloved Kyoko prancing around in the chicken suit, adorably funny antics making the audience double up in laughter. The chicken had no lines, but it was easy to understand what 'he' was trying to say from his unpredictable actions. Ren was once again impressed by her acting skills and determination. Though it was only a mascot role in a costume, she poured her heart and soul into it. _That's so Kyoko._

Really, he should have known it was her. The inability to lie, the excessive bowing and apologizing; there were so many minute hints that indicated that the chicken….no, _rooster_ (as she often reminded him) was actually his beloved. He simply hadn't paid attention to them.

No wonder he felt so comfortable baring his innermost secrets to the feathery mascot. He was by nature reserved, so spilling his heart to a complete stranger was a very unusual thing for him….

Ren was interrupted from his meditations by a cleared throat and awkward cough. "Can I help you sir?" The voice was polite, but Ren felt a surge of displeasure when he recognized the speaker as the 'Hiraku-san' who frequented asked the oblivious Kyoko out. Ren turned to face him, lifting his cap a little so that the Bridge Rock leader could see his face. "I'm fine, thank you for asking." Mentally smirking as Hiraku's eyes grew wider, he continued, "I was merely waiting for _Kyoko_ (stressing the use of first name), I'm sorry for any trouble I may have caused."

Treating the shorter man to his brightest, most sparkly gentlemanly smile, he continued "Ah, you must be Hiraku-san. Kyoko has told me a lot about you. I am very relieved that you are looking out for her in my absence. I am truly grateful that she had such wonderful _friends_."

The emphasis in his voice was unmistakable. His tone said that Hiraku had better stick to being just friends, or there would be _severe_ consequences….

"Ah, you're here already! As expected of the never-late king..." Kyoko chuckled as she caught sight of the tall man, rushing towards him only to stumble due to her ungainly chicken suit. Hurriedly changing into her usual outfit, she paused in front of a mirror, making herself presentable before joining her 'boyfriend'. She was still adjusting to the concept of being loved, believing herself to be plain and boring, despite Ren repeatedly assuring her otherwise. She was becoming more accepting of his displays of affection, even getting bold enough to initiate contact herself (not often though, she still had strict ideas of Japanese modesty).

"It's nice to see you, Kyoko." he said warmly. "How was your day? Congratulations on your new role, I have heard a lot about it. It is a highly anticipated drama after all…"

"I'm really looking forward to it" she responded eagerly, head bobbing up and down in agreement. "I think I have understood the character, I just have to put in some finishing touches to her personality…." she trailed off, lost in thought.

"I'm sure you will do splendidly" Ren encouraged. "After all, you are a very talented-"

"Oh, I forgot my bag!" Kyoko squeaked and scrambled off in search of the missing item, oblivious to the slightly deflated actor she left behind in mid-sentence. _Oh well, _he mused, shrugging good-humoredly._ Some things never change._

Giving the stunned Hiraku a small nod, Ren departed after her with a murmur "Please don't forget, Hiraku-san…I'll be watching you."

Hiraku suppressed a shudder as the tall, handsome actor passed him to follow his precious girl. _Who knew that the kind and gentle Tsuruga Ren could be so…menacing?_

-x-x-

Ren had reserved the most luxurious dining room in the super-posh restaurant for their date. Eyes wandering around her surroundings, Kyoko could not help but admire the rich carpeting and tasteful artifacts hanging from the walls. She felt a small stab of guilt as she wondered exactly how much this dinner was costing Ren, but soon ignored her regret with the argument that he could afford it; he was Japan's best paid actor after all. Still, she was against wasteful spending… but Ren never listened to her protests; rather he was _affronted_ when she objected to him spending exorbitant amounts on her. His pampering was both irritating and sweet at the same time, reminiscent of their time as the Heel Siblings. She could never get used to it, even though they had been dating for over a year now.

Ren has notified her that the dinner was a rather formal occasion, so she had been appropriately dressed in a flowery gown that complimented her figure. She was glad she chose this outfit, yet she felt underdressed in comparison to the opulent décor. Ren looked dashing as usual, even more handsome due to his decision to revert to his original hair color for the evening. That little fact spoke volumes about the importance of this little dinner.

Her gaze wandered to his golden locks. She loved his original hair color; even though Ren's darker dyed hair suited his professional attitude, as well as highlighting his Japanese heritage. Stifling a giggle, she mused. _He really does look like a Prince._

Dinner passed pleasantly in idle chit-chat, both actors taking comfort in each other's company, unwinding after their hectic schedules. When the main course was over and the plates cleared, Ren fidgeted nervously. She was rather perceptive to his moods due to the time she spent with him, and she could confidently conclude from his mannerisms that something was bothering him. He was shifty and preoccupied, and it worried her, because he was not prone to bouts of nervousness. She did not enquire the reason for his disquiet, well aware that he would tell her at the appropriate time.

Dessert provided a welcome distraction, and Kyoko savored every bite of the delectable dish while Ren played around with his food. When she scraped the last bite off her spoon, he squared his shoulders as he always did when steeling himself for something difficult.

"Kyoko, there is something I need to tell you..."

She raised her head, meeting his reflective gaze with curious eyes. The seriousness of his tone indicated the importance of the conversation, and she sat up, alert and inquisitive as she wondered what had brought this about.

He opened his mouth, but quickly snapped it shut as he reconsidered his words, trying to frame his question in the best possible way, as if he had not spent hours practicing his little speech. Now slightly worried, Kyoko reached across the table and took his hand in hers. He gave her a grateful smile, and suddenly got up, kneeling in front of her. With a flourish, he took a small velvet box from his pocket, opening it to show her the most beautiful ring she had ever seen.

"Kyoko, my love, will you marry me?"

Kyoko's eyes grew wider than saucers. Over the past year, she had hesitantly accepted her feelings for him, but she was still afraid. It had taken her a long time to even say 'I love you'. She often froze when he became too close or touchy-feely. Nevertheless, she was very happy with him, and very grateful that he cared.

Now he was asking her to make a giant leap of faith. The ring glinted in the light, breathtaking in its elegant beauty. Amazing how such a small thing could cause so much chaos in the heart. She tore her eyes from the sparkling jewel and instead focused on his face. Anxiety, worry, even fear; all were clearly written in his apparently stoic expression.

Could she do this? Could she pour her heart and soul into another person, willingly throw aside the locks that protected her once-shattered heart? Lower her defenses, and revel in the attention he showered on her? She thought back to the past year; the joys, sorrows, troubles and accomplishments she had shared with Ren. The times they spent together were cherished memories forever etched into her heart. And she knew, with absolute certainty, that he would be there for her, forever. _Until death do us part,_ she thought wryly.

Eyes shining with tears, she broke into a wide smile, and replied, "Yes, I do."

_**The End**_

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**A big hug for the anonymous guest review who gave me the idea for the first part of this little epilogue…thanks a lot!**

**This is a short chapter, but I think you need to cut me some slack after the twice-as-long-as-usual last chapter….thanks for your patience.**

**I'm not good at the sweet stuff, so I'm nervous about the reaction to the really lame proposal scene. Please be kind! I didn't describe the ring in great detail; I left it to your imagination. Some stories have wonderful descriptions of diamonds and corn stones, but I'm not really into jewelry, so I didn't bother wasting words on it.**

**I've branched out and am currently reading fanfictions in my other favorite manga, like Bleach, Naruto and Kuroshitsuji. This made me realize just how much potential Skip Beat! has for fanfiction topics….most other manga have set plotlines and characters, and you cannot write anything without introducing a huge host of OCs…**

**Whimper is finally done, thanks everyone for reading and reviewing! Please look out for my next fanfic 'As Usual'…. first chapter is almost ready!**


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